Turning Tables
by Crime Scene Fairy
Summary: Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** So I don't know how this is going to go. I really don't. It's my first X-Men fic, since First Class has inspired me to an insane degree with the plot bunny of an Erik/OC story. So, let's see how this goes, since it terrifies me to even attempt to write Erik Lensherr.

I don't own X-Men. I only own my brand new copy of the First Class DVD. I've only been through it once so far, since I keep rewatching any scene with Erik at least four times. But hey, at least that'll help characterization.

Please review. Reviews will go to helping burn Shaw alive for killing Darwin. :( And reviews will help updates come quicker. Hope everyone enjoys.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Prologue<em>

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><p><em>Barcelona, Spain<br>__1959_

They had met by accident.

But then again, history was comprised of accidents and the reactions that people had to them.

To anyone who saw them on the street and knew of their backgrounds, it would seem as those they had nothing in common. She had grown up as a picture perfect all-American girl. She had been the darling of two doting parents, had been a popular girl in high school, had married her childhood sweetheart, and lived in a nice house with a picket fence while her husband worked. She had been an example of the American Dream.

His story was darker, and that was only scratching the surface that was the tragedy of his life. One only needed to look at the six numbers branded into his left arm to realize the hell that this man had walked through, the pain he had grown up with. He was a legacy of a proud people, one that had been prosecuted and murdered senseless. He had survived those horrors, and though the scars of those trials still remained, he had lived nonetheless.

To those who knew them better, there was no doubt that there was a deeper link between the two.

The first of all being the man that destroyed their lives.

Her loss had been the picture perfect life she had been living. She had been able to ignore the gifts that her genes gave her to live out her life. When that monster had walked in, he had taken everything away from her. He had taken any semblance of safety that she had possessed, and had taken everything from her, least of all her husband's life. He had twisted the blade in her heart by attacking her when she had walked in on the murder scene, causing her to lose the unborn child she was carrying.

In her eyes, she had lost everything.

In truth, however, her losses paled in comparison to his.

He _had _lost everything.

But when the smoke cleared from the tragedies that shattered their lives, they still had one thing to keep on going. Vengeance.

They both went after him, neither aware of the other. Neither aware that there were others out there like them, that had their abilities. Neither realized there was another who had vengeance targeted on the same person. Both were aware, however, of the reasons why they had lost everything.

They had lost everything because of the gifts their genes had gifted them.

It had taken years for both to even hear of him and his whereabouts. He had known his family's murderer by a false name. She had only learned the name of her husband's killer years after he had been killed.

It was little to go on, but it was enough for both.

In that fall night in 1959, both had tracked him to Barcelona, a normally beautiful city known for its incredible culture and its constant sun and heat. It would still be beautiful if not for the grim feeling that came to anyone who was near the hunt that was occurring throughout the streets. Two hunters were on the prowl for the same prey, they neither were aware that they wouldn't find him.

He ran down the alley, not pausing to take a single desperately needed breath. His body was in top physical shape thanks to the hunt he had been partaking in for years. His body was fuelled by the adrenaline provided by the knowledge that he was the closest he had been to catching his prey. He had never been closer. He didn't know if he would ever be this close.

But as he raced into the alley, he stopped, anger building when he realized that he could hear noise in the distance, a familiar noise coming from the air that told him that Schmidt had escaped to live another day. He hadn't caught his prey. He knew that he had escaped. He had failed again, and knew he would have to start over.

And then, he heard the footsteps behind him. It was only a few seconds before they grounded to a halt behind him. He heard the soft clicks of a gun being prepared.

His rage nearly exploded as everything crashed down around him, blinding him to everything that was going on. He sensed the metal bullet charging toward him, and it rammed into the wall without him even looking at it. He whirled around, his electric gaze settling on the brunette woman standing behind him, eyes narrowed darkly and dangerously at him.

"Where is he?" she growled in American accented English, her voice low. "Where's Schmidt?"

He only snarled back, "Why don't you tell me?"

For a few moments, they just stared at each other, his eyes on the gun and her eyes on his weaponless hands. She glanced at the bullet hole in the wall, and a different emotion entered her eyes. He recognized it immediately. It was curiosity.

"How did you do that?" she asked cautiously. She didn't lower the gun in her hands.

"Do what?" he demanded back, his voice as cold as the metal he could control.

"You know what I mean," she snarled back, rage building in her eyes.

"I clearly don't, since I asked," he retorted in just as harsh a tone.

She nodded towards the wall and the dented bullet on the ground. "You deflected that bullet. I know I'm not that bad of a shot that I'd miss you when you're only about eight feet ahead of me." Realization entered her eyes. "You're not with Schmidt."

The rage that had been slowly fading away built up again at the name of his family's murderer, and her visible knuckles turned white as she struggled to keep a hold on her gun. As his eyes narrowed dangerously, the rage reached a new high. The gun flew through the air, passing his head and landing on the ground behind him.

He studied her for a second. "Neither are you," he replied simply, disregarding the display of his gift.

She observed him for a moment, the realization that she had found someone who hated Schmidt as much as she did hitting her like a bullet. "The only time I'll be with Schmidt is when I shoot him point blank in the head," she replied, her voice cautious and edged with warning.

He smirked for the first time, and she caught an unrecognizable light in his eyes. "I see we have something in common. Schmidt is on the top of our hit lists. But tell me… what did he take from you?"

Her body stiffened. "What makes you think he took anything from me?"

"Because I know a survivor when I see one."

She studied him again for a few moments, and then her eyes were drawn to the torn sleeve of his shirt. 214782. Her blood turned to ice when she realized what it was; a brand. It was a brand one would use on an animal, but she knew what it meant. Everyone had heard the horror stories of the camps in Europe, but she had never seen living proof of them.

The living proof was standing and breathing in front of her.

"What did he take from you?" he asked again.

"Everything," she replied, her voice hoarse as she finally tore her gaze away from his brand.

His smirk darkened before disappearing. "Funny. He took the same from me."

For a moment, she hesitated again, and then looked at him. "I think we have more in common that that," she finally admitted.

"Oh?" he asked, watching her.

She smiled slightly, the first one she had given in years. "You can control metal." The smile turned to a smirk matching his previous one. "I can do something different."

She glanced at the hand that had been holding a gun seconds before. As he watched, electric blue sparks shot from her exposed palm. She held up a fist covered in a sparking, electric blue glove. This time, she could see the surprise clear in his eyes. She could only feel the surprise in her heart, the knowledge that she had just found someone who could do something as strange as her.

"Oh," he repeated. He met her eyes. "I think we have some things to talk about…" He paused as he looked at her, waiting for her name.

She put her fist down, the sparks disappearing into darkness. "Hanson," she replied, green eyes meeting blue. "Miranda Hanson."

He didn't smile back as he gave his reply. "Erik. Erik Lensherr."


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Wow. :) I'm really happy that you guys seem to like the story so far. I'm so happy that I actually wrote out this update in maybe three hours. Thanks so much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts, guys. I highly appreciate it. :) So I'll admit there's a bit of a longer Miranda scene in here. It's more to introduce her and a bit of her background, because trust me, there's a few things you don't know about her yet. There's a bit more Erik/Miranda if you squint, but it's going to take awhile to get to that point. I'm going to milk their relationship's development for all its worth. Next chapter is more Erik.

I don't own X-Men. God, I wish I did. We would have had a Deadpool movie by now. And Bobby would actually be in-character in the movies. And we would have Rogue/Gambit. But I don't own X-Men. Oh, well.

Please review. I told you, the more reviews, the quicker the updates. See? I kept my promise. :) So please review, and give comments, suggestions, and what you'd like to see between Erik and Miranda.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 1<em>

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><p><em>Geneva, Switzerland<br>__1962_

Over the past four years, Miranda Hanson had spent a lot of time in a number of different bars. To her, they all shared the same dank and musty smell that half reminded her of home and half made her want to throw up. But despite the smell and questionable occupants, they were where most of the information had been gathered for her and her partner.

It had been nearly three years since their meeting, and though it had been shaky for the first year, the partnership between Erik and Miranda was finally yielding some results in their quest to find Schmidt. The problem now was finding where he would be now.

But today, for once, wasn't about Schmidt.

Miranda buried her hands in the long black coat she had on, moving quickly through the sunny streets to the bar that she had heard about. Her fingers fiddled with the wedding ring that had been tied into the coat pocket, a reminder of the past and why she was still living. It was also to remind her of what she was going to find someday, the murder that she would someday commit.

It made her feel guiltier than she should have been.

She pushed those thoughts from her head as the dim bar, the door swinging shut behind her. Miranda's green eyes narrowed as she scanned the dark interior of the building, but light up in surprise and even a bit of happiness as she finally located the person she had agreed to meet with today.

He wasn't very old, only twenty at the very most. His hair was a mop of dark brown locks, and though she couldn't see his eyes, she knew they were a dark chocolate brown that always seemed to be laughing. For a moment, Miranda worked up at the courage that she knew would be needed. This was not going to be easy, especially after the events that had occurred since she had last seen him.

She took a deep breath before crossing the space from the door to the bar, ignoring the looks from drunk patrons. "Hello, Daniel," she greeted as she sat down next to him, surprising him.

He jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, his head snapping to look at her. His eyes were the same color that they always had been, and she felt a dull thud of pain deep within her chest. They were the same color that she had woken up to for a year, so different from the dead brown that she had looked into that fateful night years before.

"Miranda," he greeted back, his body relaxing. An encouraging grin lit up his face, and the dull pain sharpened.

Despite that, however, she still hugged him back when he stood up and wrapped his arms around him. As much as she tried to fight it, a smile crossed her face as she was reminded of happier days.

"How are you?" Daniel asked, his eyes curious as he looked her over. "I haven't seen you since the funeral."

Miranda nodded, slightly glad that she had not flinched at the mention of the funeral. "I'm fine," she said, pushing a smile onto her face. "Traveling is so much fun, and Erik is great…"

"Your boyfriend, right?" Daniel asked, a strange look coming over his face. He turned to the bartender. "A beer and a brandy, please." He looked at him. "Your mom mentioned you were traveling with a guy. She didn't say whether you were serious or not."

"It's complicated," Miranda lied, her insides twisting. She was lying to someone who she had known all of her life. She couldn't tell him the truth. It was already complicated enough with just her and Erik.

Daniel nodded as the bartender brought the two drinks over. Miranda managed to sip at her drink, as Daniel took a good drink of his. He placed his glass back on the counter as he looked back at Miranda. "When did you meet Erik, anyway?" he asked curiously.

"Barcelona," Miranda replied, glad to be finally telling something of the truth. "We were both on vacation, we met, and found out that we were traveling. We decided to stick together, keep each other company."

That was closer to the truth. Not very, but close enough for Miranda's stomach to stop twisting with guilt. What was she supposed to tell Daniel? He had a normal life. Miranda had lost her normal life the night that Schmidt had walked in and taken it away from her. He had taken everything away from her that night.

She wouldn't let him take away the peace that Daniel clearly held about his brother's murder.

Daniel looked at her, a calm smile on his face. "I think that David would be happy for you," he finally said after a few silent minutes. "He wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your life alone. I bet he would have gotten along great with Erik."

For a moment, Miranda mulled it over. And then, she burst out laughing. It was the most genuine laugh that she had given since the night she had met Schmidt. Even the idea of her passionate and hot-tempered husband meeting the intense and serious Erik made her completely lose herself in laughter.

"I doubt it," Miranda finally said, shaking her head, the light-hearted grin still on her face. "I seriously doubt it."

"They're that different?" asked Daniel, smiling slightly at the show of Miranda's laughter.

"Like fire and ice," Miranda replied, nodding slightly.

"I think I can guess which is which," Daniel muttered, rolling his eyes.

A silence descended between the two for a few minutes. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It was a silence full of memories of their mutual past, of a happier time, of a cheerful brunette man with a love of life who had had his ripped away too soon. That man had left behind so much, but those memories of him were now the only thing tying Daniel and Miranda together.

Daniel broke the silence before looking at her. "Look, I know it's not my place to go here," he finally admitted. His voice lowered to a point where Miranda had to strain to hear it. "Because honestly, I know that this is all way above my head. But I know, Miranda."

Miranda faked a frown as her heartbeat accelerated. "Know what?" she asked calmly. Every cell in her body felt cornered, and she knew that she wasn't going to like what happened here.

"That you haven't been traveling around for the past few years just to see Europe."

Her heartbeat accelerated further.

"That Erik isn't your boyfriend or even anything romantic."

Her blood turned to ice.

"That you're going after David's murderer."

She felt faint.

"I know everything."

For a moment, she was dumbstruck. That was rare enough on itself. Miranda could usually react quickly to any situation, whether it was the right or wrong way to do so. But now, confronted by the fact that someone other than herself or Erik knew the truth, she was frozen. She hadn't wanted anyone else to know. This was her own journey, and she had to do this her way. This was Erik's journey, and he had to do it alone.

It just so happened that their journeys paralleled the other's.

Miranda swallowed. "How did you find out?" she asked, her voice harder than steel.

Daniel, to his credit, didn't flinch. "I did my research. I used my head." He sighed before looking at her. "That's why I called you here today."

"Why did you, then?" Miranda asked, a bit of anger creeping into her voice. "Daniel, every minute this happens is a minute that Schmidt is getting away with murder. Not just David's, but hundreds of other people." She began to stand, but Daniel grabbed her arm.

"I'm not going to pretend that I'm not angry," he snapped at her, pulling her back to sit down. "David was my best friend, Miranda. He was my brother. But I'm not going to pretend that I have any chance against him. I don't know how, but you and your friend… you do."

Miranda watched him carefully. "Why did you want to meet me, then?"

Daniel glanced around before putting his hand in his left pocket. He pulled out several pieces of Switzerland's currency, despite the fact that he and Miranda had barely had any of their drinks. He walked out calmly, and Miranda frowned at his back for a second before following him.

Daniel had stopped a few yards down the street, facing her. She stopped in front of him, and the two stared at each other for a moment. They both knew it would be the last time they would ever see each other. They wouldn't have any need after this point.

Daniel pulled out a piece of paper before handing it to her. She unfolded it and took a good look at it. "It's a bank," she finally said, confusion in her voice. "And the name of one of its employees?"

Daniel nodded. "It's a bank where Schmidt does business," he explained as Miranda looked up sharply. "Don't ask how I got it. If I tell you, it's going to put a few lives in serious danger from him. But if you're going to find where he is from anyone, it's going to be the man who's name was reading."

She looked at him. "Thank you," she whispered after a few seconds, after struggling to find the words she needed to say.

Daniel nodded calmly. "Take care of yourself." He turned around and began to walk away. For a few seconds, she watched as he walk away. One question still burned in her mind, and she knew she had to ask him before he left her life for good.

"Daniel."

Daniel stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Why?" Miranda asked finally. She didn't understand why he would do this for her.

"Because, Miranda," he finally replied. He turned back to look at her, and the resemblance he held to David nearly stabbed her in the gut with regret. "You lost your husband. But don't forget one thing." Their eyes met, green on brown, and Miranda knew she would never forget her brother-in-law's final words. "I lost my brother, too."

His words echoed in her mind long after they both had left.

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><p>Hotel rooms were nothing new to Erik Lensherr. He hadn't had a home since his hunt for Schmidt had begun, and he held serious doubts that he would ever find one again. He was too restless and too full of the knowledge that home could be taken away from him just as quickly as his life could. He had lost his home once, and he would not go through that experience again.<p>

For the last few years, hotel rooms had been the one thing that resembled home.

Hotel rooms with one bed, however, were another story.

If there was anything that Erik and Miranda both hated, it was any hotel room that only had one bed.

Erik was so much taller than Miranda that he would end up hogging most of the bed. Miranda twisted and turned most of the time, and usually kicked Erik hard enough for him to have bruises by the time he woke up. They already had the ability to get on each other's nerves like no other could. They didn't need to encourage that talent by sharing a bed.

The current room was nondescript compared to most, especially considering the volume of rooms that Erik had slept in over the course of the past years. He would admit that it had a wonderful view. A desk was cluttered with supplies and papers, all research gathered by Erik and Miranda. The wall above it was covered in pictures and a map. It was their guide to where Schmidt had been, and the most recent addition to their collection had pointed to Geneva. Two green chairs were on the far side of the bed, their backs to the window.

Unluckily for both, the hotel room in Geneva, Switzerland, had only one bed.

Luckily for Erik, however, Miranda had gone out.

He spent the time she was gone the way he usually did. He would think of everything, of what lead was being chased down, where they might go next, and most of all, how it all would end. Usually, every second spent with his partner meant they were planning, packing, or plotting their next step. The were two allies with a common goal. He would never admit it verbally to her, but they were two friends with a common interest.

Today, he thought of how it would end.

The coin floated between the fingers of his hands. It was the same coin that had been with him since the beginning. It had sat on the desk while his mother had been murdered feet behind him. It had been there when he had been liberated from the camp, and it had been with him when Erik had promised himself that his mother would be avenged.

His attention was grasped by a hand-sketched portrait of Schmidt. It was him to a perfect degree. Miranda had mentioned to him that she had drawn it in the weeks following her husband's murder. She had always been artistic, and this time, her artistic ability had captured the face of a murderer.

It was the face of their target.

The coin floated between his fingers as he thought. The more he thought of what had occurred through the years, the higher his rage became. His blue eyes narrowed at the sketch as he thought of his mother, the camps, and the horrors that Schmidt had done to him in those camps.

And then, the rage broke.

As the door to the hotel room opened, he flicked his fingers sharply, launching the coin hard against the room. It landed in the wall right in the forehead of Miranda's sketch of Schmidt.

A few seconds later, Erik looked calmly towards the door, where Miranda stood, watching him with a raised eyebrow. "If you do that to him, I won't complain about not being the one to kill him," she told him calmly, setting her black bag back on the table as she locked the door behind her.

"If I can find a way, it will be more brutal," he promised.

Miranda smirked and rolled her eyes. "Whatever works," she told him. She pulled off the black coat, shaking her hair out of the tight ponytail as she removed the piece of cloth tying her hair back. "You didn't sleep last night," she mentioned as she crossed the room, sitting in the green chair farthest away from Erik.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked dryly.

"I know you, Erik," she reminded him. He noticed she was playing with a piece of paper in her hand. "And I know you had that nightmare again."

Damn her. She was too observant of everything around her. So many times it had helped them in their quest to find the murderer of their families. But there were times, such at this, that it worked against Erik in the worst possible way. She had her own nightmares. He noticed them. He would mention them.

But that didn't mean that he didn't hate when she brought up his.

Erik sighed, frustration heard in his voice as he asked, "Why do I ever tell you anything?"

"Because we're stuck together in this until Schmidt is dead," she replied calmly. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she challenged him to protest that.

He didn't.

She shook her head before looking at the coin, still trapped in the wall. She stood up before walking over to the sketch, regarding it with a critical eye. "I'm never going to forget his face," she admitted quietly. "Years from now, if it's all over, I won't forget it."

The silence Miranda received told her that it was the same for him.

She pulled the coin out of the wall after give a hard tug. She held the coin in her hands, looking it over, before glancing at Erik. She tossed it at him, and it gently floated through the air, landing to rest in his palm. She smirked before looking at the piece of paper. She moved back to the other side of the room, sitting in the chair closer to Erik.

She handed over the piece of paper, and he frowned as he read over it. "What does this have to do with anything?" he asked.

"Everything," Miranda replied simply.

"Do you care to explain?" Erik asked, looking at her with a familiar frown.

"He knows where Schmidt is," Miranda answered.

The reaction was instantaneous. Erik's body tensed, and his eyes lit up in surprise before turning sharply to a calm Miranda. Her body remained relaxed, and she just watched him for a few minutes. She stood up before smiling at him, clearly beyond pleased with herself.

"The bank opens in about an hour," she told him. "I think the husband and wife ploy will work," she added. "And pack everything up. We leave as soon as we get the information."

Erik smirked at her. "What makes you think you're in charge?" he demanded.

"I'm a female. Moreover, I'm the one that actually can be calm out of the two of us. I'm automatically in charge," she replied immediately. She strode towards the bathroom before turning around to direct her self-satisfied smirk towards him. "And besides, if you were in charge, we would be dead." She raised an eyebrow as he chuckled. "Don't deny it, Lensherr."

"I'm not, Hanson," Erik replied, squeezing the coin in his hand as he reread the paper. "Go get ready. Today, we're actually going to get somewhere in this crusade."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "It's about time."


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Wow, guys. :) I'm flattered by the response so far, and I'm so thrilled that you guys like it. Which is this here is an extra-long chapter. :)

So this chapter does have a scene from the movie. But I gave an original flashback. There will be more. Next chapter will be a bit more original, with another flashback and more Erik/Miranda interaction, though this chapter has a fair amount of it. If you guys have anything you want to see happen in a flashback between Erik and Miranda, let me know in a review. I've got some plans, but I'd like to find out what you guys would want from this story. :)

Me? Own X-Men? I wish. I'm putting it on my Christmas list, but if I can just own Magneto and Gambit I'm willing to take that, as well. Or even Pyro. I would not mind at all owning him.

Once again, thanks a million for the story alerts, the reviews, the favs, and and the reading. Please review, and a speedy update will be provided in turn for that service. Thanks so much for the support, everyone. I really do appreciate it. :)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 2<em>

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><p><em>Geneva, Switzerland<br>1962_

"This will be quick and easy. We get his location, we leave to wherever it is."

"Finally. We get to leave Switzerland."

"I thought you liked Switzerland."

"I'm getting tired of it."

"Or rather you're getting tired of mindless running around."

Miranda's face twisted into a thoughtful expression before she nodded. "Touché. But this is the lead we've needed." She gave a cheerful little smirk that made Erik roll his eyes, one edge of his mouth returning the smirk.

"Where did you find this out, anyway?" Erik asked, looking at her as he readjusted his grasp on the brown leather suitcase in his hand.

She didn't answer for a second as she slipped on a black beret, taming some of her dark curls. "An old friend," she answered cryptically after a few moments of thought. "Where did you find the gold in your suitcase?"

"An old friend," countered Erik, shooting a warning glare at her. "And what old friend? You haven't talked to anyone but me in the last two years. What old friends could possibly tell you this?"

Miranda shot him an offended look as the duo crossed a bridge. "Thanks, Erik," she replied sarcastically. "I do too have old friends from home. And I talk to my parents still." She thought for another moment before hesitating. "It was my brother-in-law, actually. Daniel."

"David's brother," Erik said, glancing at her in surprise. "I thought he was young when David was killed."

"Fifteen," clarified Miranda, nodding quietly as she remembered the bright-eyed teenager that had become her brother in everything but blood. "But he and David were close. He's studying here in Geneva for a year, and decided to look a few things up after about David's murder… he found out about Schmidt, and found out about this bank."

"If it works, we're one step closer to finding the bastard," Erik muttered, his eyes darkening at the thought of finally finding his prey after years of chasing him.

Unable to help herself, Miranda smiled teasingly at him. "And one step closer to me finally being rid of you and your eternal brooding," she added, the spark in her eyes burning brightly.

"And one step closer to me being rid of a woman who refuses to take a shower unless I'm in the hotel room," he replied without missing a beat, smirking down at her.

She scowled at him. "I've got a good reason for that. I control electricity. Water conducts electricity. My powers activate when I'm in a shower, I'm electrocuted." She raised an eyebrow as they approached the bank, a magnificently beautiful building. "I think that's logical. I don't really want to die until Schmidt is dead."

Erik chuckled under his breath as two walked up a few stairs. He nodded towards the doorman as Miranda took his arm, using another useful ploy. Though he would never admit it to her, using the cover of a normal husband and wife had saved them both in dozens of situations over the past few years. She even looked vulnerable and innocent, but he knew better than anyone that she wasn't.

A few minutes later, they stood outside the office. Just as Erik expected, Miranda shot him a warning look. "Remember. No killing him."

Erik rolled his eyes. "I give no promises," he replied, his voice harder than it had been a few minutes ago. She knew he was prepared to do whatever he had to do to get what he wanted. If she didn't, she clearly had not been paying attention over the past few years of working together.

Miranda rolled her eyes as she gave the same argument she had repeated so many times she had lost count. "Erik, we're not supposed to be leaving a trail of bodies in our wake. The only dead body we need is Schmidt's. Now, we can get to him much easier if we don't have police on our tail because of how many people you kill on the way to getting there."

"Well, what do you know. You can be logical," Erik scoffed. "And what makes me so sure I'm the one who kills them all?"

Miranda slapped him on the arm, a bit harder than she should have. "Because I know you too well for both our goods. Now, shut up, Lensherr, and let's get this over with," she growled, green eyes narrowed at him in warning.

He smirked back at her as her green eyes grew more infuriated. Erik held the door open, his smirk turning patronizing as he gestured her in. [After you, my dear,] he said in nearly flawless French, his manner now akin to a husband with his wife.

Miranda resisted the urge to slap the smirk off of his face. [Thank you, love,] she replied in much shakier French. She was not the best at languages. Her eyes shot him a warning look, telling him she was going to get revenge against him for this sooner or later.

The smirk she received in reply told her to do her worst.

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><p><em>Barcelona, Spain<br>1959_

"_I think our goals are compatible."_

_The dank Barcelona bar was less lonely than it had been a few hours ago when Miranda had stopped for dinner. But that time, Miranda had been there alone. Now, here she was, with someone who actually understood what she had gone through, someone who wanted Schmidt dead as much as she did._

_Erik shot her an unreadable look over his beer bottle. "Now what would make you say that?" he asked in a calm voice, though she could see the question in his eyes._

"_We both want Schmidt dead for the same reasons. Taking away our lives." Miranda took a sip of her brandy as she readjusted her position on the barstool. Erik sat to her left, nursing his own beer bottle. "If that isn't the definition of compatible, I clearly didn't deserve to pass high school."_

_Erik thought for a second. "But what would you gain from this?" he asked, watching her for any reaction she might give. "Because I see nothing I would get from this."_

"_How about human company?" Miranda interrupted, rolling her eyes. "I don't know about you, but I've missed actually talking to people and not the random men in bars. And especially considering the fact that we're freaks of a feather."_

_Erik scoffed. "I always thought I was alone," he admitted._

"_Same here," Miranda replied quietly. _

_For a few moments, it was quiet between them. This was an opportunity that Miranda knew would not come again. How many other people out there had some weird power like she and Erik did? Not many, if anyone. They were freaks of a feather, as she had eloquently put it. They could help each other if need be._

"_Does Schmidt have allies?" she asked suddenly._

_Erik looked at her in surprise. "I'm not sure," he finally admitted. _

_Tonight had been the closest he had ever gotten to Schmidt. He knew that it would take him years to get this close again. Maybe she did have a point. If he had a partner, they were almost guaranteed to get closer to Schmidt in less time. A partner might mean the difference between life and death in that final battle._

_Miranda looked at him. "He must. The only way he could have escaped was if he had help." She took another drink of the steadily emptying brandy. "Now, even if he doesn't have a partner, two against one is better than one against one against one."_

_Erik rolled his eyes. "What do you know. A woman who can be logical."_

"_Shut up, Lensherr." She hit his arm before continuing, "Besides, like I said. Human contact. I freaking miss it. You must, too. Besides, it'll be less expensive. I don't know about you, but I'm running out of funds for this crusade."_

_She had a point there._

"_And if we do find Schmidt, we could watch each other's backs," Miranda continued. She smiled at him before adding, "Schmidt's powerful. He could kill either one of us. But from what I've seen, I think you'd be a good person to have at my back."_

_Erik was silent as he thought it over. What was he supposed to do here? If he said yes, he was going to be stuck with a partner until Schmidt was dead at the very least. If he said yes, he would be stuck with having to worry about someone else. If he said no, he might not end up being the one to kill Schmidt. If he said no, and Schmidt had friends, he might end up getting killed because of his lack of help._

_Erik looked at her. "You've seen only a fraction of what that monster is capable of." His fist clenched, and a spoon a few yards away vibrated. "I've seen its entirety."_

_She looked at his arm before looking back at him. "He was there, wasn't he?" she asked, her green eyes flickering back towards the numbers._

_Erik's body stiffened instantly. She glanced at his face for any sign of emotion. His face itself showed none, but those admittedly gorgeous blue eyes were another story. They had become a storm in the matter of a few seconds, and she knew that she had trampled on a very sensitive subject._

"_Let's just say I was Frankenstein's monster," Erik replied, his voice guarded and cold._

_Miranda winced. "If it makes you feel better, I always hated that book."_

_A chuckle managed to escape Erik before he could stop it. He took a good look at her for a few moments, weighing the pros and cons of actually starting a partnership with her. Could he afford to actually let himself worry about someone other than himself while on this crazy crusade?_

"_Were you…" The question went unfinished as Miranda looked at him._

"_Yes."_

_He knew what the question was. It was a question that came up with anyone who learned he was once a prisoner of the concentration camps. Everyone had heard the horror stories, of the families torn apart, of the sons and daughters murdered, the innocence and childhood stolen from so many._

_Erik had just been another soul whose innocence had died there._

"_You asked a personal question, it's my turn," Erik said, leaning forward to take a closer look at the black-clad brunette. "What did Schmidt take from you?"_

_Miranda promptly took another sip of her brandy. "My husband," she finally replied. "One night, I went to visit my mom. When I came back, I found my husband on the floor of the kitchen, dead, with Schmidt standing over him. He attacked me… and I miscarried the child I was carrying." She sighed. "It was a boy."_

"_You were that far along?" Erik asked quietly. He was no stranger to miscarriage. He had witnessed several while in the concentration camps._

_Miranda managed a weak smile. "Mother's intuition. I knew it was a son."_

_Erik nodded softly. "I'm sorry," he replied, knowing that the alcohol had a hand in choosing the words he had just said._

_She nodded. "I'm sorry for you," she said. She chuckled before holding up her nearly empty glass of brandy. "To the hunters, wallowing in their self-pity for one night."_

_Erik chuckled. "Hear, hear."_

_They were silent for a few other moments, and in that quietness, Erik realized something. He actually had missed human contact. This was refreshing, and she actually did seem to have a clue of what she was doing. She had found Schmidt on her own, she had a power that could help. They could actually kill him, if they worked together._

"_I'm in," Erik said, breaking the silence._

_Miranda glanced at him, startled. "In with the partnership?" she asked, looking almost gleeful for a moment._

"_Yes," Erik replied, beating the urge to give some kind of sarcastic partnership back._

_Miranda smirked. "I'm glad, partner." She stood before the smirk turned into a genuine smile. "Now, since a gentleman pays for the first date, this is on you. But I'll cover your hotel room when we move your stuff into mine."_

_Erik shot her an incredulous look. "Have you gone from convincing me to become your partner to flirting badly with me in a few words?" he asked in bemusement as he continued to stare._

_She smirked. "It's a feminine gift."_

_Erik shook his head. "Don't do that again."_

"_Ah, unused to feminine charms, are you?"_

"_Shut up, Hanson."_

"_Make me, Lensherr."_

_Erik sighed, hiding the half smile on his face. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"_

_Miranda shot him a look as she replied, "Sometimes, yeah, but when Schmidt is finally dead… not at all."_

* * *

><p>Miranda couldn't speak much French. She understood it just fine. Erik was a natural at languages, and that was one of the many things she envied about him. She could understand a few languages thanks to his help, among them his birth language of German and a bit of Spanish they had both picked up while still in Barcelona. But she could barely speak enough French to pass as a lovely, humble wife here.<p>

At least Erik was doing all the talking.

The bad part: it was still freaking French.

God, she hated French.

The bank manager looked at the gold on the desk. Miranda had been surprised to see it out there. Erik had played that card rather early on, but then again, this wouldn't have been the first time that he changed plans without informing her first. Actually, had he ever informed her that he was changing plans? No. Sometimes, she didn't mind. Sometimes, she wanted to electrocute him for changing it.

This time around, she really wanted to electrocute him.

[Possession of that gold is illegal,] the banker said calmly in French as perfect as Erik's, staring at the swastika that Miranda knew was on the side facing him. She had seen the gold enough times since Erik had somehow gotten it. [I should inform the police.]

[Let's not play this game,] Erik told him, the slight warning almost unheard in his voice.

Miranda watched the banker quietly. The best part about being a woman sometimes was the fact that she was underestimated heavily. This was one of those times. She had already scouted out the good exits, the possible alarms, and she knew she was close enough to short out the telephone if she needed to. If need be, she could fry this man like a fish.

[Where did you get it?] the banker asked, staring at Erik with even more suspicion, if that was even possible.

[A friend,] Erik replied cryptically. He didn't look at her, but Miranda saw the smirk she knew was directed towards her. Miranda hid a smug smirk the best she could, which wasn't hard. The banker's attention was still completely focused on Erik. [He recommended your bank most highly.]

[I see.] For a split second, he looked to Miranda, as if wondering whether she was involved in this illegal piece of gold or not. [Do you know our terms, sir?] His gaze flickered to Miranda, and she resisted the urge to smack him as a bit of contempt snuck into his gaze. [Ma'am.]

[Yes,] Erik replied without a second's pause.

Miranda glanced towards Erik before shooting an pitying look towards the banker. [You probably will not like his, however,] she replied, her French shaky but understandable.

[This good is all that remains of my people,] Erik began in a quiet voice, looking at his reflection in the gold. He picked up a picture from the man's desk, one of a little girl with a striking resembelance to the banker.

Miranda stiffened to the slightest degree, both from the picture of the young child and the knowledge that, the tone of Erik's voice, that things were going to take a turn for the worst. She had heard these words before, and she knew they hurt him more than he would ever admit. Actually, a lot of things hurt Erik. He was just too strong to show it. He was human, underneath his tough, badass exterior.

[It was melted from their positions, torn from their teeth. This is bloody money.] Erik's gaze turned to the banker, his eyes harder than Miranda had seen before. [And you are going to help me…] He glanced at Miranda. [Forgive me, _us_, find the bastards responsible for it.]

Throughout Erik's words, the man had been subtly moving his hand forward. In the moment that Erik ceased talking, Miranda finally noticed the man's hand moving towards his desk drawer. Erik seemed to have noticed a few seconds before she had. The man's hand froze midway to the drawer, and Erik clicked his tongue, as if he was scolding a child.

With a flick of his wrist, the banker's hand was flown back, knocking him right on the forehead. He gave a sharp cry, stunned for a few seconds out of both pain and surprise.

Miranda sighed. [Was that necessary?] she asked Erik in a long-suffering voice, glancing at him.

[Absolutely,] Erik replied without a pause, smirking. His smirk faded as he turned his attention to the banker. [As you've just learned, you should not touch that alarm,] he warned him.

Miranda stood up and put her hand on the telephone sitting on the man's desk. Electric blue sparks formed over her hand, forming a glove before the banker and Erik's eyes. A second later, the electricity disappeared, and sparks came from the phone. Miranda smirked as she removed her hand, the phone sending light smoke into the air.

[I apologize,] she told him. She thought for a moment, remembering the contemptuous looks. [But then again, I don't. We wouldn't want you calling anyone, would we?] she asked, looking at Erik.

He chuckled. [She _can _learn.] Ignoring the glare from Miranda, Erik stood, his voice now an expressionless mask, his voice hard and demanding. He stood, crossing the small area towards the man, reaching his sides in a few moments. Miranda remained standing, watching. [I want Schmidt,] he explained. [Klaus Schmidt.] He hit the man on the test, knocking him back a bit. [where is he?]

[Our clients don't provide addresses,] the banker quickly replied quickly.

Miranda nearly laughed at the spinelessness of this man. She was too glad to, however. Daniel had been right. Daniel had provided her with Erik with the lead they had needed to find Schmidt. They were closer than they had been for years, since the night that she and Erik had agreed to their partnership. This was the turning point.

Hopefully, it would be a turning point for the better.

[We're not-] The banker's continued words stopped as Erik's hand landed on his chest, holding him down against his chair.

[That kind of bank?] Erik finished, gazing down at the banker with contempt in his eyes.

Miranda swallowed. This was not going to be easy, but from the look on Erik's face, he had something planned. She just wished that he had let her known before they got in the bank. Was it too much to ask for her to actually know what was going to happen when they chased down a lead? God forbid she be prepared for something like this.

Erik held his hand up, his fingers positioned in a way to almost pick something up. The man's jaw was suddenly forced open, the confused look on his face mixing with panic and fear. Miranda's jaw went slack as she saw the intense look on his face. It was as if he had suddenly forgotten about the rest of the world around him, and the only things left were him and the banker in front of him.

[Metal fillings, huh? Not gold?] Erik said in almost a conversational tone as the man began to whimper in pain. Miranda could faintly hear cracking sounds from the banker's mouth, and she winced. [Worried that someone might steal them?] Erik questioned darkly.

[Argentina!] the banker yelled immediately.

Miranda blinked. She had thought it was going take him longer to crack than a few seconds. But then again, being subjected to this torture under Erik, who was admittedly a scary guy most of the time, would be terrifying enough to get most people to crack in about the same time. [Schmidt is in Argentina!]

When Erik didn't stop, the banker yelled out, [Villa Gesell!] Erik held the same position, the cracking growing louder as the man continued to cry out in pain. [Please!] he pleaded, unable to get another word out as he cried out in pain again, louder than before.

Erik didn't stop. The blank look on his face deepened, and Miranda felt fear enter her system for the first time in a long while. She had seen Erik get intense during different situations. But this was something different. This was a darker side of Erik, and while she always knew it was buried just beneath the surface of her friend, actually see it terrified her.

"He's cracked, Erik, that's enough!" Miranda growled, in English, after a few seconds, turning to glare at Erik, hoping that her words were enough to snap him out of this.

It didn't work. As much as she had hated the looks he had given her and the fact that he associated with Schmidt, killing him would only bring more complications to her and Erik's quest. She doubted that she would be able to take Erik down. She had her powers, but Erik was by far the stronger of the two of them -

And then, as Miranda finally decided she was going to have to tackle him, a snapping sound finally turned her attention back to the two. A small silver piece of metal was between Erik's fingers, and the banker was breathing heavily, staring in horror at what Miranda realized was his tooth filling. He turned a horrified stare to Erik, and then to Miranda for a split second. But it didn't last long before the stare was returned to Erik.

[Thank you,] Erik said, slipping the teeth filling into his pocket before releasing the man, walking back around the desk.

Miranda rolled her eyes before stepping forward, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She opened the worn leather suitcase, slipping the gold back into it. She shot a sympathetic look towards the man, but said nothing. She wasn't happy with his methods, but Erik had gotten the job done, and that was enough for right now.

[I would love to kill you,] Erik mentioned in a tone that seemed like it would fit a remark about the weather more. [So mark my words.] He took the suitcase from Miranda before walking towards the door, continued with, [Warn anyone we're coming…] Erik stopped just outside the doorway, and turned to look at him with an almost cheery smile. [I will find you.]

He walked out, and Miranda shot him another look. [Don't tempt him,] she warned the man. [You wouldn't like the end results. I doubt your daughter would want to lose her father.] Without another glance towards the man, she followed Erik, a scowl forming on her face as her anger started to burn again.

After they had cleared the office and reached the first floor of the bank, Miranda shot Erik a scolding look. "You did it again," she told him, scowling up at her much taller partner.

Erik's innocent gaze returned her glare. "Did what?" he asked, opening the door to her as they exited back onto the street. "I did not go overboard. I only did what was necessary to get the information. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same."

Miranda sighed, unable to admit that her partner was wrong in that statement. "Maybe I would have, if you had actually told me what you were planning." She shot him a glare. "But yes, you did go a bit overboard. He thought you were going to kill him."

"I would have loved to," repeated Erik, shaking his head with a regretful sigh. "If there's one thing I cannot stand, it's a traitor. I like to think I would have lasted longer than that if it had had something to do with you."

Miranda gave a satisfied smile, putting away her gripes with Erik for now at least. For that statement, which was almost like getting a hug from him, she could let bygones be bygones for now. "You better have. After over two years of sharing hotel rooms with you, you better last more than a minute," she told him, only half-joking.

He smirked back, and she was relieved to find that he seemed to be somewhat back to normal after the little episode in the banker's office. "I would last much longer, I can assure you."

"I'm glad," Miranda assured him gratefully, looking around the street, glad to see no sign of policemen or guards. "So, now what?"

Erik smirked. "Simple. We follow our target." Miranda suddenly grinned. He rolled his eyes. "Yes, that means we're leaving Switzerland. I know it crushes you…"

"Shut up, Lensherr," she snapped, hitting his arm. She was still smiling, and forced back every instinct that was trying to force him into smiling back. She took a few steps forward, turning to look at him. "Now let's get moving. We need to pack. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can get back to a hotel room with two beds."

She walked off back towards the hotel, and Erik followed, chuckling under his breath and rolling his eyes.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** So, this is my love/hate relationship chapter. On one hand, it's got Erik/Miranda action. Yay. On the other hand... Azazel is freaking impossible to write for with his stupid (awesome) Russian accent! So, yes, that's a spoiler. Keep reading to find out, since it's a new subplot that should be interesting. I didn't plan that. Sadly, it write itself, and whether or not I like it remains to be seen. No going back now though.

I do not own X-Men. I wish. I seriously wish. Do you know how many movies we would have? The whole Marvel Industry would just be about the X-Men. Except Thor and Iron Man would be there, because they're just that awesome.

Thanks for the reviews, favorites, alerts, and everything. :) Especially thanks for the person who added this to an OC community. Please review again, and let me know what you want to see, suggestions, and your thoughts on Miranda and Erik's budding (bickering) relationship. Please leave a review on your way out.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 3<em>

* * *

><p><em>Atlantic Ocean<br>__1962_

They had been on this plane for over two hours, and she had maybe said one word since then. Of course, considering the fact that Miranda had dozed off almost as soon as the plane had taken off, Erik wasn't very surprised. She always tried to sleep during overseas flight, since any body of water larger than a bathtub made her nervous.

It was almost amusing in a way. Miranda was a woman who would rather spit in her enemy's eye than give an inch. And yet, a pond could terrify her. The woman refused to get a shower without him in the room. Miranda claimed that she might end up getting electrocuted, though Erik often laughed at that excuse.

To be honest, he didn't mind doing that small favor for her. She was his only ally in this crusade they both carried, and they looked after each other. No one else would if they didn't. Miranda had admitted to Erik once that she always had a piece of metal in her pocket, just in case he needed one. Not to mention her constantly nearby gun, now hidden in a suitcase in the cargo hold of the plane. Erik would stay in the hotel room whenever she got a shower, just to make sure she felt comfortable and sure that she wouldn't get electrocuted.

Throughout their traveling, Erik and Miranda had gone on planes, boats, and even a few car rides. This plane was smaller, with only two seats in a row on each side of the plane. Despite Miranda being much smaller than Erik, he had agreed to let her have the aisle row just to keep her calm. Actually, she hadn't even asked him. He had seen the slight panic in her green eyes, sighed, and had sat in the window seat, being rewarded with a grateful grin from his long-time partner.

Most likely, Miranda would tease him about being a sweet gentleman after all. He would be able to claim it was for entirely selfish reasons. If she was forced to sit next to the window and see the ocean below them, she was never going to be any use to him, and he would have to deal with a panic attack on a cramped airplane, when the panicking person in question could electrocute them all without even thinking about it.

Miranda's breathing was as slow and steady as it had been a few hours ago. She had been sleeping upright for a while, but around an hour ago, her head had lolled to the side and came to a rest on Erik's shoulder. Moving slowly as to not to wake up, Erik glanced at her peaceful face. They still had quite a ways to go, and he prayed that she wouldn't wake up again.

But right now, he had a few smaller problems to deal with. The biggest one being the fact that his arm had long ago fallen asleep. He was going to have to do this quietly, and if she woke up and saw what he was about to do, he would never hear the end of it.

He lifted his arm up as slowly as he could, finally managed to slip it around Miranda's back. To Erik's surprise, Miranda still didn't wake up, instead murmuring quietly in her sleep and sighing before relaxing against him. He rolled his eyes before resting his arm around her shoulders, getting himself into as comfortable position as he could.

Erik closed his eyes as he tried to steady his breathing. This flight was making him anxious, and as Miranda would tell him, if he didn't sleep, he'd be of no use when they got to Argentina. Within a few minutes, Erik's breathing had steadied, and his head was resting on Miranda's.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Miranda's eyes fluttered opened. She was still somewhat dazed from waking up, but she could feel a weight on the top of her head. As she glanced as carefully as she could at Erik, she couldn't stop the grin that came over her face when she realized that he looked completely adorable at the moment. His arm was around her shoulders, and his head was resting on hers.<p>

She was never going to let him hear the end of this.

Forcing her gaze not to go to the window, Miranda sighed and let herself relax. She had been sleeping since the very beginning, but there couldn't be much longer. Soon, they would be in Argentina, and they'd be closer than every to finding Schmidt at long last. It was about time.

Miranda's thoughts turned to the man sitting next to her. In the past two years, since their meeting in Barcelona, he had been the one constant in her life. They had watched each other's backs, learned about each other, and in the end, they ended up becoming the closest thing they had to a friend.

But above all, Erik was always going to be her partner. Someday, when Schmidt was dead, and they went back to their lives, Erik was still going to be her partner. If he ever needed her, she would be there for him, and she would hurry back to his side at a moment's notice. She liked to think he'd do the same for her.

That brought up her own thoughts. What was she going to do after Schmidt was dead? Her life had been about the hunt for him since David's death, and she had abandoned everything in the process. Maybe she could start over somewhere, teaching, like she had before David's death. She had always loved New York.

Against herself, Miranda glanced at Erik, still sleeping. Even in sleep, he was tense. Sure, he said that he relaxed when he slept. This coming from one of the stiffest men alive. He was always tense, and he never looked at rest when he sleep. More often than not, the nightmares came through. She had been awaken more than once from him sitting up in bed, ramrod straight, breathing heavily from a nightmare.

He'd told her about them eventually, during one of those drunk nights, when they had drowned themselves in alcohol and self-pity. They were few and far between, but it had been something to keep them human and remind them that they weren't all-powerful, despite the gifts that they had been given. She had told him her nightmares in turn.

Truth be told, she was going to miss him horribly if and when Schmidt died. He was a good friend. They argued a lot, complained about the lack of personal space that was between them, and groaned about each other's quirks, but in the end, they were loyal to each other. She would trust him with her life, and she already had. He had trusted her with his, several times.

She was going to miss him more than she ever knew.

Miranda felt a gaze on her, and then turned with a slight frown towards the aisle. A pretty, older woman with black hair and sun-kissed skin sat, watching them. Miranda gave a cautious smile towards her. She was a lot more friendly than Erik, but she knew to be cautious sometimes. The most innocent person could end up your worst enemy.

"I apologize," the woman said quietly, the smile still on her face. Her English was heavily accented, but Miranda could understand it easily. "I did not mean to stare. You two remind me of my husband and I." She gestured to the sleeping man behind her.

Miranda chuckled. "Thank you," she said quietly. She thought for a moment, and then froze. "Oh, wait, you don't think that-"

"Are you married already, or are you planning to be?" the woman asked.

"We're business partners," assured Miranda quickly, incredibly glad that she didn't blush easily. "Unfortunately, we've worked so long together than we've forgotten the meaning of personal space." She glanced at Erik before looking back at the lady. "We're not together."

"I denied it to, my dear," the woman said. She smiled in a knowing way. "But you'll find that destiny has its own plans. It rarely takes your opinions into account." She turned away, that knowing smile still planted permanently on her face.

Miranda leaned her head back against Erik's arm, trying not to wake him. She didn't think of Erik that way, did she? Oh, she hoped not. They were partners. She could not deal with a relationship more complicated than their actual partnership. It could only get worse from there. They were both too stubborn, too independent, and too tough to ever get anyway.

Would Miranda ever deny that she had felt an attraction to Erik? Absolutely not. A third of their relationship was them flirting with each other. The second third was insulting and belittling each other. And the last third was them actually getting somewhere, actually doing something that helped their quest to find Schmidt. It wasn't a typical relationship, but it worked for her. She didn't want to change it.

Miranda was broken out of her thoughts by Erik shifting and grumbling as he woke up. "We're not there yet, are we?" he muttered as his head lifted up, blinking sleep out of his eyes.

"I wish," muttered Miranda, shooting a furtive glance towards the window. She shuddered, and Erik glanced down at her in surprise. "I really, really wish. I hate water. Stupid water."

"Calm down," Erik murmured, not ungently. "The plane isn't going to crash. And if it did, you wouldn't live long enough to hit the water, which means you wouldn't be electrocuted."

Miranda shot him a horrified look. "That makes me feel so much better," she growled, hitting him on the arm with a scowl. "Wait a minute." Her voice lit up as her voice lowered. "You control metal. This plane is metal. We won't die even if we crash! Yes!"

Erik raised an eyebrow. "I'm flattered by your faith in me, but what makes you think that I could actually keep a giant, heavy airplane above the ocean?" he asked, glancing at her with a teasing smirk.

Miranda chuckled, knowing he was only teasing her. "Because," she said as she gently removed Erik's arm around from around her shoulders. "You'd be so pissed that you didn't kill Schmidt before you died that you'd actually manage to keep us floating long enough to get us safely to land."

Erik smirked, shaking his head. He glanced out the window. "We've got the location," Erik murmured quietly, not taking his gaze away from the ocean below. "We just don't have the contacts who know where he would be. We need to find information on where he is, and if he's there now, we need to be ready."

Miranda nodded, leaning back against the headrest. "So, to the bars?" she asked.

Erik nodded. "To the bars."

Miranda smiled. "I could do with a brandy. Though honestly, I feel like we do more drinking than actually searching for Schmidt."

"I disagree," Erik replied. He frowned as he thought of what actually was a truth in their complicated relationship. "We do get a lot done."

Miranda scoffed, "While drinking. A lot. It has its upsides, though."

"Oh?" Erik questioned, shooting her a half amused half curious look.

"If it wasn't for beer and brandy, I wouldn't be aware of most of the things I know about you." She smirked cheerfully as a scowl came over his face. "Don't deny it."

"Shut up, Hanson."

"Make me, Lensherr."

Erik only rolled his eyes.

* * *

><p><em>Geneva, Switzerland<br>__1962_

The moment that Daniel entered his apartment, he knew that something was wrong. His body stiffened instantly as he sensed a presence nearby, one that honestly scared the crap out of him. There were no good intentions with the intruder, that much Daniel could tell from his powers. The teenager leaned down, placing his backpack on the floor. He stood up slowly, walking into the kitchen.

He reached the counter, and grabbed the first weapon he could find. It was the largest kitchen knife he and his roommate had, and it was currently the only weapon he had. His powers weren't active at all. The ability to sense emotions, intentions, the future, and presences were useful, but they were pretty useless when it came to any physical fight.

He walked slowly through the apartment, his footsteps silent as he made his way across the floor. Faintly, Daniel caught the smell of sulfur. His body was stiff as a board, and the knuckles of the hand clutching the blade went white as he made his way, glancing around at every shadow, hoping to find the intruder.

"You told her."

Daniel whirled, his eyes harder and narrower than they ever had been. The knife remained in his hand, and his body didn't relax as he saw the red-skinned creature leaning against the wall. Daniel swallowed hard.

He was tall, and if it wasn't for the red skin and the wicked scar on his face, he could almost be considered handsome from any female perspective. But then again, the tail might drive off any potential female suitors. The dark smirk on his face would also probably intimidate more than a few people. The tell-tale accent told Daniel that this intruder was Russian.

Daniel, for one of the first times in his life, was afraid. This guy could kill him probably just by thinking about it, never mind the fact that he had a sword in his hand and a freaking tail. He wasn't going to last a second against this thing, and if he was going to die, then he was going to die.

"I am not here to kill you," the red-skinned creature assured him.

Daniel sensed out for a second, wondering if the emotions he was sensing were true. If his powers were working, then he wasn't in any immediate harm. Sure, this guy could kill him just as easily as a fly, but for now, his life was in no jeopardy. Daniel's body didn't tense, but his grasp on the knife lightened.

"You did not tell her that you are a mutant as vell," the red-skinned creature mentioned, watching him with a curious frown on his face. "Vhy?"

Daniel shook his head. "She doesn't need to know," he said in a rough voice, setting the knife down on the kitchen table. He took a good look at him. "Azazel, right?"

Azazel nodded. "Da, comrade."

Azazel faintly heard Daniel mutter something that sounded suspiciously like 'damn communist'. He chuckled quietly. "By comrade, I mean mutant."

"If you're here to get me to Shaw, you're wasting your time. I'm useless to him, and we both know it," Daniel replied sharply. He watched him. "Besides, I'm not going to join my brother's murderer."

"And yet, you vish to discover vhy he vas murdered," Azazel murmured, watching him carefully. "Curious. But you know as vell as I do that you are far from useless to him."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "You want to know whether he's going to die, right?" he asked Azazel. He gave a sharp laugh, shaking his head in disbelief before answering his own question. "Of course you do. I'm still alive, I can see the future, so you still need me. Shaw still needs me."

Azazel frowned. "You know if he vill live or die. Da?"

"Yes." Daniel raised an eyebrow at him. "So, are you going to kill me, or take me to the crazy psychopathic telepath you have? Or should I call her Shaw's second-choice telepath?" he asked. He smirked at the scowl on Azazel's face. "I know more than you thought, don't I?"

Azazel muttered something that sounded suspiciously like ' damned teenagers'. "I vill be back," he promised. "By then, Shaw vants your choice to be made. Choose vhere you vill stand, comrade, and choose soon. And remember. You are not your brother." In a cloud of sulfur-smelling red smoke, Azazel disappeared.

Daniel swallowed hard as the red-skinned mutant disappeared, a troubled look on his face as he realized that his time was running out. "God, what have I done?" he whispered.

His only reply was silence.


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** My inspiration continues, which means here's the fourth chapter for you wonderful readers and reviewers. I'm so excited that we're close to 20 reviews. Think we can break that, guys? :) I hope so, because I love writing this story. Hopefully, I'll be able to write up the next chapter by tomorrow, to celebrate the week anniversary of this story being up.

I don't own X-Men. :( I really wish I did. I own a copy of First Class, though, and I'll own a copy of X-Men: Destiny in a few weeks though. God, I'm so excited for that. I think I'm going to end up playing Adrian. Anyone else excited for Destiny?

Please review, guys. :) The only reason that these updates have been consistant is because of the wonderful reviews I have recieved and the great support. I'm so grateful to you guys for that, because you're making this story an absolute joy to write. Please review, and tell me what you think of Erik and Miranda's relationship. If you have anything you want to see in flashbacks, let me know, because I can make it happen. :) Enjoy, guys.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 4<em>

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><p><em>Villa Gesell, Argentina<br>__1962_

"I think I'm in love."

Erik rolled his eyes. "If you don't keep up, I am perfectly fine with leaving you in Argentina."

"I don't mind," Miranda replied, her face split in a wide grin as she stared at the beautiful lake at the bottom of the hill. "Oh my God, I am totally in love. You know, Erik, screw you, screw this mad crusade to get Schmidt's head on a silver platter, I'm staying here in beautiful Argentina…"

"Even though you can barely speak Spanish?" Erik demanded, turning around to glare at her.

Miranda thought for a moment before scowling. "Thanks, Erik, you just ruined all my newfound hopes and dreams with one sentence." She shot a teasing smile at him. "You should feel very proud of yourself." Despite her words, she made her way down the hill with Erik, her knee length summer dress swishing against her legs.

Erik just looked at her for a few moments, an unreadable look on his face as he readjusted how he was carrying his hat and coat. Miranda glared at he stared openly at her. "What?" she demanded. "Do I have a giant bruise that I forgot to cover up?"

"No," Erik replied, chuckling as he glanced ahead. A small wooden building was up ahead, and it was their destination. Some locals had said that it was a good place to go for both a drink and a bit of fun, and hopefully, it would have someone who knew where Schmidt was now. "It's strange seeing you in a dress."

Miranda frowned. Maybe he did have a point in that. Miranda always wore slacks wherever she went. Actually, she hadn't worn a dress since David had died. Slacks were just more comfortable and useful in her line of hunting. Like she could hunt down a sociopathic murder in a dress, let alone be ladylike and the perfect girl her mother had tried to mold her into as a child.

"What part about me in a dress is strange?" she demanded, glaring at him only half-joking. "I'm still a girl, Erik."

Erik rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about it," he told her, regretting ever saying anything about it. "I'm just worried you won't be able to fight if something goes wrong."

"You think something will?" Miranda asked as the door to the bar came into view. She was going to let it go for now, but if Erik brought that topic up again, so help her God, she was honestly going to kill him.

Erik shot her a disbelieving look. "It's a bar, Miranda. How many bar fights have we gotten involved in over the past two years?" he demanded. He actually didn't know the number himself. Unfortunately, Miranda was right. A lot of their relationship involved alcohol.

"Touché," Miranda admitted, the thoughtful frown slowly fading off her face. She sighed. "What if we don't find anything in here?" she asked, voicing a doubt that she had refused to acknowledge for hours. "What if that banker in Geneva was lying to us?"

"Then we go back to Geneva and I'll put him six feet under," Erik growled, the kindle of rage beginning to burn in his eyes. Miranda winced at the look on his face.

"Calm down, he might have been telling the truth," Miranda replied, putting a hand on his arm as they finally reached the door. Erik glanced through the small circle window, trying to strategize the best he could with the limited view. "So, how does it look?"

"Three men, including the bartender," replied Erik, looking at her as he turned away from the window. He frowned at her. "Are you going to be able to defend yourself?"

Miranda smiled teasingly at him. "Ah, are you worried about me, Lensherr?" she asked in a baiting tone. Erik knew she could take care of herself. She had been doing so since David had died. But at the same time, she was usually the one that was asking Erik if he was going to be alright, as much as it annoyed him, not him asking her.

Miranda blamed it on the dress.

"Hardly," Erik replied, rolling his eyes.

Miranda rolled her eyes before pulling up a side of her dress. Tied to her thigh was her faithful gun, which she had been using for years now. She raised an eyebrow at Erik, who smirked and rolled his eyes, his worries - however he may deny that he had them - taken care of for the moment. She glanced at the gun, spotting the scratch immediately.

The scratch on the handle was a direct result of her meeting Erik. When he had caused the gun to be thrown from her hands, it had hit both a wall and the ground. She had been a bit angry at him for scratching her prized gun, but after they had gone to a bar, discussed their partnership, and had gotten incredibly drunk, she had forgiven him. Somewhat. She still teased him about it.

"I think I'll be fine," she said, dropping the dress back down, hiding the perfectly concealed gun.

Erik rolled his eyes. "If you say so." He held the door open to her with a small smirked back, and Miranda returned it as she walked in.

As Erik hung up a coat and his hat, Miranda slipped off her own, handing it to Erik as he reached for it. It was a sort of dusty place, but it seemed nice enough. Sure enough, the only people there were three men. The bartender stood behind, and the only two customers sat at the table right next to the bar.

All three looked over, and Miranda shot a charming smile as Erik's hand reached her back, guiding her over towards the bar. [Good afternoon, gentlemen,] he greeted in Spanish, removing his sunglasses. He sat down, and Miranda was quiet as she sat down to his right.

As bad as she was at languages, Erik seemed to be a natural. He had taught himself English after his time in the concentration camps, and had later learned French and Spanish. Meanwhile, Miranda had to be guided in all of her language escapades. It frustrated her to no end, but she did try as hard as she could. Whatever the way she tried to put it, she could be downright useless at times. But then again, Miranda had other gifts that Erik couldn't dream of.

One of them being her, as she called it, 'feminine charm'.

Miranda pulled her brunette curls over her right shoulder, giving her peripheral vision a view of the two men sitting behind her. Both were looking at her and Erik, and Miranda's eyes immediately went to the unhidden brand on Erik's arm, wondering why she suddenly had a very bad feeling about this. She sighed quietly, but turned around and shot a flirtatious smile toward the two men, who both smirked at Erik's hidden back. Miranda turned back around and glanced at the bartender as he spoke.

[Hot out there,] the bartender said, glancing at the door. Admittedly

[Yes,] Erik agreed, nodding once. He glanced at Miranda before looking back at the bartender. [A beer and a brandy, please.]

As the bartender set to get both drinks, Miranda's eyes were immediately drawn towards a picture on the wall, of three men standing next to a boat called Caspartina, with the city name Miami written below it. The bartender was in the picture, but the unsmiling man in the middle of the picture was unsettlingly familiar to Miranda.

Miranda froze instantly in fear.

She was staring at the face of her husband's murderer. It was the same look she had seen the night she had walked in to find her husband's dead body. His hair was longer and he had no glasses, but right there, on the wall of this bar in Argentina was a picture of Schmidt. She was staring at an image of her husband's murderer.

Completely numb to her surroundings, Miranda nudged Erik gently. As he looked at her, she nodded towards the picture on the wall, not noticing that her hand was shaking a bit. Erik's jaw tightened as he saw the picture and recognized Schmidt. Hesitantly, Erik grabbed Miranda's hand and squeezed it once, causing her to look at him.

He shot her a look, and she took a deep breath before steadying herself. At that point, the bartender returned, carrying Erik's beer and Miranda's brandy. Miranda immediately took a sip. If anything was going to calm her down even a little bit, it was going to be alcohol, the cornerstone of her and Erik's relationship.

Erik took a calm sip of his own before glancing at it. [German beer?] he questioned in the his own native language.

Miranda nearly groaned as she heard the change in language. God forbid she got through one day without having to use more than one language. Miranda managed to keep away a look of frustration, but she knew that Erik had to have picked it up.

It was then that Erik's words fully hit.

Oh, crud. _German _beer.

Miranda knew, in that instant, that whatever might happen in this bar, would not end well at all.

[Of course,] the bartender replied, nodding.

[Yes, it's Bitsburger,] the bald man sitting directly behind Erik said. Miranda stiffened as she heard the naturalness that the German was spoken it. She had only heard it spoken to that degree of perfection when Erik had been teaching her enough to understand it. [Do you like it?] The two men laughed, clearly a bit drunk.

Miranda caught the change in Erik's face immediately. It took on the faraway quality that only came whenever something just made Erik turn off every emotion he had. It was the face he had when he turned into a living weapon. Erik was human. She had seen his lighter side, the rare real smiles he gave, some of which weren't given when drunk.

But then again, Miranda had seen his dark side more times.

And this time, she knew that he was going to do something that she was going to regret. Her hand went to her thigh, and felt the gun hidden there. The feeling of dread was growing, and Miranda took another sip of her wonderful liquid courage.

[The best,] Erik agreed with a distant smile.

He shot her a look, and she knew right then not to get in his way, no matter what might happen now. There were some things that they just didn't talk about. They knew so much about each other, and there were still some forbidden topics. Erik knew not to talk about children or babies as much with Miranda; he saw the way she flinched when she saw children.

And right now, Miranda knew that these men, whether it be them directly or indirectly, had caused him indescribable pain back in those dark years that still brought him nightmares.

With a terrible lump in her throat, Miranda nodded, agreeing to Erik's demand.

Satisfied, Erik took another sip. [What brings you to Argentina?] Erik asked, turning around to look at the two men. Miranda also turned around, but kept her face neutral and calm.

[The climate,] explained the one sitting directly across from Erik. [I'm a pig farmer.] He grinned over towards Miranda before winking and making a noise that seemed to have meant to resemble a pig. Miranda kept her face neautral and forced herself not to react.

[Tailor,] explained the other. He seemed to be calmer than his companion. [Since I was a boy.] A proud smile crossed his face as he added, [My father made the finest suits in Dusseldorf.]

A surprised look came over Erik's face as he smiled. Miranda knew it was fake instantly, and the bad feeling making a home in her stomach tripled yet again. [My parents were from Dusseldorf,] he said as he picked up his beer and moved to a seat across from the calmer man and next to the rowdier one.

[Ah?] asked the tailor, looking surprised and even a bit excited. He turned to look at Miranda, who stiffened slightly on her stool, still a bit on edge after seeing the picture of Schmidt. [And you, my dear? Are you from Germany?]

Miranda didn't smile as she replied, [No, from America. Norfolk, Virginia,] she explained.

She saw the looks of contempt on their faces before they turned to Erik, completely ignoring her. She smirked. This worked better in her favor anyway, if they were only going to mistake her as an ignorant American woman.

[What was your family's name?] the tailor asked, shooting a questioning look towards Erik.

[They didn't have a name,] explained Erik, shooting them each a look in turn as he raised his glass. [It was taken away from them by pig farmers.] He clicked his glass with the farmer's before repeating the action with the tailor. He then added, [And tailors.]

The three all raised their glasses to their lips, drinking. The two men seemed to be waiting for Erik to stop, but he didn't. They exchanged looks as they continued, and Miranda's hand went stealthily to her thigh, removing the straps from the gun and hiding it in a fold of her dress. This was where things would go wrong. She knew it.

The next few moments were tense, and Miranda's hand instantly took a hold of her still hidden but accessible gun. Even if Erik wanted to do this alone, if things got too hairy, she was going to shoot first and ask questions later. If it meant protecting her partner, she didn't care.

Erik turned his arm over, revealing the brand. The reaction of the two man was instant. They exchanged a worried glance as Erik's face darkened. Before Miranda could give a warning, the farmer pulled out a knife and lunged to attack Erik. He seemed to have everything under control as he grabbed the dagger and slammed the man's arm into the table.

Erik reversed the blade, glancing at the German written on it. [Blood and Honor,] Erik read, glaring down at the steel blade as if it were a living snake. He turned to the man with a dark, angry look on his face. [Which would you care to shed first?]

[We were under orders…] protested the man, wincing as Erik held his hand down harder than needed.

[Blood first then.] With a harsh thrust, Erik stabbed the man's hand, trapping it to the table.

Miranda winced as the man gave a pained scream. Miranda turned around and saw as the bartender grabbed a gun. Miranda took a good hold of her own gun, and tensed as she prepared to get involved, despite what Erik had wanted. This time around, it was her turn to change the plans without letting Erik now.

It this wasn't so bad, she would be loving this.

The bartender hurried out from behind the counter, pointing a gun similar to Miranda's at Erik. [Freeze, asshole!] he snarled, holding the gun straight at him.

Miranda stood instantly, her own gun pointed at the bartender's head. [You first,] she snarled back, her eyes narrowed. The bartender's gun whirled to point at her, and the bartender and Miranda glared at each other for a few harsh minutes. She caught Erik's stare, and for a moment, she saw a bit of exasperation in his eyes. She didn't give any indication of a reply. It was about time he found out how it felt.

[Shoot!] yelled the tailor, looking panicked, not seeming to care who got shot at this point.

The bartender did so, right at Miranda, and Erik's eyes narrowed. Instantly, the bullet changed direction midair, only a few inches from Miranda's head. It flew through the air, hitting the tailor dead center in the forehead, sending him down to the ground, dead before his body fell.

Miranda fired an instant after the bartender did. The bullet was a bit high, hitting his shoulder. Erik, however, seemed to have the bartender taken care of as he pulled the blade out of the farmer's hand and sent it flying through the air into the man's stomach. The man fell to the ground, the gun clattering to the floor. The knife flew back to Erik's hand, and he pinned the farmer backed to the table with the blade.

The farmer looked terrified as he whispered, [What are you?]

Erik took a deep drink from his beer before glaring at the man. "Let's just say I'm Frankenstein's monster," he whispered, his voice harsher than what Miranda was used to hearing. He glanced over towards Schmidt's picture. "And I'm looking for my creator."

Miranda looked at the picture before standing up, reversing her gun. She slammed it into the picture, breaking the glass. She pulled the picture out before looking at it with a critical eye. "C'mon, we're leaving," she said to Erik, glaring at the man.

As she walked past, she squeezed Erik's shoulder gently. As she passed the farmer, her hand turned into her trademark electric glove. She placed it on the man's shoulder, and he yelled as an electric shock raced through his body, the glove disappearing from Miranda's hand as his body drained the electricity.

He breathed heavily as Miranda glanced at Erik. "If you have to do it, make it quick," she told him quietly. She held up the picture of Schmidt. "We need to get to Miami."

Erik didn't answer as he took Miranda's gun from her hand. As Miranda walked to the door, she heard the telltale shot and the dull thud as the farmer's body hit the floor. Miranda glanced at Erik as he walked forward, carrying both her gun and the man's knife. He slipped the knife into his pocket as he left his coat and hat, along with Miranda's.

Miranda took her gun back before looking at him. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly, not looking at the bodies in the bar.

Erik shot her a look. "Just fine," he replied before walking out.

Miranda remained frozen for a second before looking at the bodies. "Liar," she whispered before she followed her partner.


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** We broke twenty reviews! :D Thanks so much guys! The support I'm getting for this fic is amazing, and I'm so glad you're all enjoying it. I wanted this chapter up yesterday, but I ended up going to a music festival last night and didn't have a chance to finish this. I hope you guys forgive me. :) On the bright side, we've got a good chapter coming up after this one that will be extra-long and is over halfway written. So the next update should be tomorrow night or Monday morning.

I do not own X-Men. Miranda would totally be there if I did. ;) And maybe Daniel, but after you guys read about him during this fic, I don't know whether you guys are going to like him or not. Hopefully that's not too bad a spoiler, but oh well. I can spoil him if I want; he wasn't even supposed to appear past Chapter 1, but hey, that changed.

Once again, review please. :) Let's see if we can break twenty-five at the least. Remember. The more reviews, the faster the updates! Plus, I love hearing about what you guys want to see in this fic. So, any suggestions or ideas for flashbacks or scenes, suggest it here and just maybe it'll appear. Enjoy, everyone. :)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 5<em>

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><p><em>Atlantic Ocean<br>__1962_

Erik had only been asleep for a few hours when he heard the scream. His eyes shot open, and he was instantly awake as he sat up, ramrod straight, turning sharply towards Miranda, who was sitting up in bed, breathing heavily as she tried to calm herself down enough. Her shoulders shook with quiet sobs, and her knees were to her chest, the blanket tangled around her. Her brown curls were messy and damp, and Erik realized that she was covered in sweat, despite the relative coolness of their cabin.

For once in their partnership, Erik was glad that their current room, one aboard a passenger ship heading to Miami, had only one bed. Miranda had nightmares once and awhile, as did Erik. However, it was rare they talked about them. They would mention them the next morning, usually, but would drop it the next day.

This time, he knew it was different.

"Nightmare?" Erik asked, wondering why he was so unwilling to let this one go.

Miranda nodded, her shoulders still shaking. She raised her head, and then looked over to Erik, her dark curls obscuring some of her face from him. "It was a different one," she said quietly. "It wasn't David and Schmidt…" Her voice broke off suddenly.

Erik put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Just breathe," he told her quietly. "Lie down and breathe. We'll be in Miami in a few hours." He hesitated. "What was your nightmare about?"

Miranda stiffened, and shook her head. "It's nothing," she lied, grounding her teeth out.

Erik glared at her. "It was not nothing," he snapped, his glare harsher than he knew it should have been. "What was it about, Miranda?"

"Nothing, Erik!" snapped Miranda. She got out of bed and stood up, glaring down at him. "It was nothing! It was a stupid nightmare! It meant nothing!" The last line seemed to almost to convince herself. Erik could still see the slight panic and fear in her eyes. "Look, just drop it, okay?"

Miranda whirled before stomping across the room, entering the bathroom and slamming the door behind her. Erik growled in frustration before grabbing Miranda's pillow and throwing it across the room. It slammed against the bathroom door with a dull thud. Erik distantly heard Miranda muttered some insult towards him, and Erik shook his head again, lying back down.

He hated it when she did this.

Granted, he probably had done this just as much as she had, but Miranda had never had a problem talking about her nightmares. Within the first few weeks of their partnership, Miranda had had one of these nightmares, but that one had been about David and his murder. She had been shaken, but had recovered just fine after a few hours. She had actually admitted what it was about when Erik had brought it up.

This time, it was different. Erik knew that easily. This time, she had honestly gotten angry with him for trying to find out what had happened, and Miranda rarely got this angry. She got irritated, would say that she wished they had never gotten into this partnership, but Erik knew the truth better than anyone.

As much as he may deny hit, this partnership helped them both. They weren't alone. They were freaks of a feather. They were probably two of the only people who had powers, if not the only. They had that in common, and though their opinions on their powers didn't always match together, Erik would admit if he absolutely had to that talking to someone who understood having powers was a blessing.

When they had become partners, Erik had forced himself to hide behind walls so he would not become close to her. He had already lost enough people in his life without losing another. Miranda had done the same thing.

Unfortunately for both, those walls had not stayed long.

Maybe it was the intensely personal circumstances that led for their hunt of the same murderer. Maybe it was the fact that they shared the identity of a person with powers. Maybe it was the fact that they were much more alike than they would ever admit. Maybe it was the fact that most of their relationship included alcohol.

Whatever the cause may be, those walls had fallen, and Erik and Miranda had grown attached to each other. They had become friends and allies along with partners. They had learned so much about each other, much more than they had ever intended. It almost scared Erik.

There were even quiet moments where Erik found himself thinking about Miranda in a different ways. He always pushed those thoughts away as quickly as possible. He couldn't think about those possibilities. He couldn't face the possibility that Miranda could be something more than a friend. It couldn't happen.

Despite his denial of it, he did worry about her more than he liked to admit. He hated taking her into dangerous situations just to get information. He had hated taking her into the bank, even though he was fully aware that she could take care of herself just fine. Erik knew it would be something he would struggle with for as long as they were partners.

The incident in the bar had been a nightmare. Miranda had almost been shot, and Erik's powers had kicked in only a few seconds before it would have been too late. Miranda had barely been able to shoot her attacker before Erik had sent the knife into the man's stomach. It had happened without him thinking about it, but the anger he had felt in that moment had been something different.

Despite those uncertainties, Erik knew he could never tell Miranda those thoughts. He could never tell her.

Erik waited quietly in the darkness for her to come back out. He had started to doze off an hour later as the door opened back up and footsteps approached the bed. The mattress shifted as Miranda replaced her pillow and laid back down, her back facing Erik.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Erik asked.

"…not right now," Miranda replied quietly. Her tone was still as harsh as it had been an hour ago. "I can't, Erik, not right now. Maybe later, but right now, we need to drop it and get ready for whatever is going to go down when we find Schmidt." She sighed. "We're not ready."

"Yes we are," Erik replied, his voice firmer than hers. "Miranda, we are both ready to face Schmidt. We've been preparing for this moment for years, and we're finally going to find him. We're going to face him at last, and we're going to avenge them. We're going to avenge my family. We're going to avenge David."

Miranda snorted in skepticism before sitting up, looking at Erik with a sad look in her eyes. "Let's say, for a minute, we're ready," she told her, reflective and quiet. "And let's say, for a moment, we actually manage to find Schmidt in Miami and kill him. What are we going to do then?"

Erik gave a thoughtful expression as he sighed. "I don't know," he finally admitted.

Miranda grinned hard enough that Erik could see it clearly through the darkness. "Okay, that was a victory for me," she exclaimed, her voice surprisingly cheerful.

Erik rolled his eyes. "Why is that?" he asked, knowing that he would probably regret asking. Whenever she had that look on her face, he usually ended up regretting something.

"You just admitted that you don't know the answer to something." She laughed as she saw the scowl that came over Erik's face.

"Don't get used to it." Erik hesitated. "If you need to talk about it, just say so."

Miranda nodded softly. "Thanks, Erik."

"Anytime."

They were silent after that, and Miranda could hear Erik's breathing become steady not long after that. She took another deep breath; her heart was still beating faster than she had ever felt it, and she knew that if she was standing, her knees would be shaking. That dream had been something else, and it terrified Miranda.

Nightmares were nothing new for her. Erik had a number of recurring ones, as did she. But this one had been different. It hadn't been David's death she had seen.

It had been Erik's.

The pure panic and horror that she had felt as she had woken up were sickening. Miranda had felt like her whole world had been destroyed, yet again. She felt almost identical to the way that she had felt when she had found Daniel's body, but it had almost been more intense. She couldn't understand why.

Miranda could understand why the nightmare had scared her, to a point. Erik was her partner and her friend. They protected each other as best they could, and they watched each other's backs as much as possible. They were loyal to each other, and would kill anyone who hurt the other.

They had gone to very dangerous means to protect each other. Erik had shot a knife into the stomach of the bartender who had tried to shoot Miranda. She had once broken the ribs of a man who had tried to smash a beer bottle into Erik's head. He had once punched a man who had slapped Miranda. The punch had been hard enough to knock him across the room and into a table, breaking it instantly.

Those lengths of loyalty were normal to them, as bizarre as it sounded.

Miranda wouldn't admit how she felt about Erik. It was something she couldn't talk about.

Miranda, on some level deep down, knew that it was normal to be attracted to Erik. What woman on Earth wouldn't feel some sort of attraction to him? He was decidedly attractive, and there was that undeniably aura that practically screamed bad boy. What woman didn't have some sort of attraction to a bad boy, as small as it may be?

Their situation was so much different. They were partners in a quest to kill their families' murderer. They had seen each other at their worst points. They were close enough that a romantic relationship would ruin everything that they had worked for over the past two years. It would ruin everything that they had given their lives to.

Maybe in another life, they would have been together. Maybe in another life, they would have been happy. But in this life, Miranda knew, even if they got together, there could be no happily ever after in their future.

Miranda couldn't understand why that fact hurt her so much.

She'd never admit to Erik how she felt. She knew, if there was some strange possibility that Erik felt the same, he would probably never admit it. Things were fine the way they were. It had worked this year for two years, and to change it now would only bring more complications than progress. The thought killed her, but she knew it was true.

Trying to clear her mind, Miranda sighed and went back to sleep, aware that everything would change forever, whether it be in a good or bad way, when they finally reached Florida.

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><p><em>Geneva, Switzerland<br>__1962_

The damned Russian mutant was back.

That was the first thought that came to Daniel's mind as he entered his apartment. His body went tense as his powers alerted him to that damned Russian mutant, the one with the impossible to pronounce name, had come back, and Daniel's time had at long last ran out. Daniel remained calm, thinking how glad he was that his roommate was back in his hometown for a few days.

"You know it's only been about two days, right?" he asked dryly, glancing towards the shadows of the room as he placed a bag of groceries on the table. "I thought I was going to have at least a week. But nope. Shaw said I had enough time to decide?"

"Da," Azazel replied. Daniel glanced towards the living room as Azazel walked from a corner. The red-skinned mutant sat down on the couch as if he owned the apartment. "But I go vhere Shaw tells me to."

"Please, please, make yourself at home," Daniel said, in a voice of false hospitality and sarcasm. "Sit down, read a book, have a coffee." He pulled out an apple from the bag and took a bite before taking a look at Azazel. "Before you kidnap me for my brother's murderer, or course."

Azazel chuckled. "So you have seen your future?"

"No," Daniel admitted, sighing as he leaned against the counter. "I just doubted that Shaw was going to let me choose whether or not I was going to be taken to him." He gave a bitter laugh as he shot a bemused look towards Azazel. "Actually, all we ever did two days ago was pretend that I had a choice in this situation."

"You are smarter than you look," Azazel noted, leaning back as he got comfortable. There was a strange, entertained look on his face, like he found Daniel to be an annoying yet amusing puppy.

Daniel gave a long-suffering sigh. "Unfortunately, that's not the first time I've heard that," he replied, taking another bite from the apple. He made a face. "Ugh, this thing has gone bad." He looked at it before looking back at Azazel. "You want it?"

"No."

"Suit yourself." Daniel tossed it into the trash, and then raised an eyebrow at Azazel. "So, am I right? You're here to take me to Schmidt whether I like it or not?"

"Da." Azazel shot Daniel a scrutinizing look as he asked, "You are not even going to run?"

"You're a teleporter," Daniel replied. He rolled his eyes. "Plus, my powers aren't very good to facing down with a guy with a tail. Why even try? And besides, me running would only serve to provide entertainment for you. Right?"

Azazel chuckled, and Daniel had another urge to kill something. "As I have stated before. You are much smarter than you vill ever appear to be."

Daniel smirked back. "And once you get past the tail, the sword, the red skin, and the big intimidating facial scar, you're much less intimidating than one would think," he replied, seeing the scowl appear on Azazel's face.

Azazel disappeared in a cracking sound and a cloud of red smoke. The unmistakable smell of rotten eggs filled the room, and the precognitive mutant winced in disgust at the smell. The next moment, Daniel heard an identical sound as a red tail wrapped around his neck, the smell of sulfur once again filling his nose as he gagged. His hands immediately went to his throat, and he winced as the hold tightened.

"C'mon, is that really necessary?" he demanded, his voice rough as he tried to get the air his body desperately needed.

"Do you _vant_ to look as though you put up no fight?" Azazel asked as he turned Daniel around, raising an eyebrow at him.

Daniel paused for a moment, mulling the statement over in his head. "Good point," he finally admitted, his body relaxing as Azazel's hold did so slightly. He shook his head. "At least I know I'll survive this."

"So you have seen the future?" Azazel asked, his tail moving as Daniel turned around to face him.

Daniel shot him a look. "Not at all. I just know that whatever Shaw plans to do, he needs me alive to help with it." He observed Azazel's face carefully. "Want to tell me that I'm wrong?"

Azazel rolled his eyes. "Much smarter than you appear."

A second later, both Daniel and Azazel vanished in a cloud of red smoke, leaving only the smell of sulfur behind. The only sign that either had been there was the half-eaten apple in the trash and the groceries on the counter, the unspeaking witnesses to Daniel's disappeared.


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** So, yeah. Best chapter ever to write. It was that freaking easy, despite the fact that I thought that this was going to be the hardest chapter I would have to write so far. So freaking easy that you guys get an update a bit over twelve hours after the other one. Plus, I really want to bring in Charles, so yeah, that's why the updates are so quick right now. XD Which means I don't apologize for the cliffhanger at the end here, because you'll get an update pretty soon after this.

I don't own X-Men. Stan Lee, who is on a level of awesomeness with George Lucas, Joss Whedon, and J.K. Rowling, owns X-Men. I'd gladly take it off his hands, but if I were him, I would never give it up. So, ergo, I don't own X-Men.

I also need to give credit to _The Singing Duck_ for the idea of the flashback in this chapter. It was brilliant, and fit perfectly to this chapter. So thanks a lot. :)

Please review, guys! :) I'm so grateful to the ones I've gotten, and they inspire me to keep writing this story. Reviewing lets me know you guys like it! :) And we broke 25 reviews! Yay! Can we break thirty reviews? ;) Just kidding, I'm really grateful to you reviewers, though, so keep it up! :)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 5<em>

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><p><em>Miami, Florida<br>__1962_

Miranda had been cranky that next morning, after they had gotten off the passenger liner and into a nearby (two bed) motel room. Her mood was bad enough that Erik had decided to go to the bar alone, after making Miranda promise to go back to sleep and rest for awhile. Of course, this had been after an argument where Miranda had claimed that Erik did the exact same thing by driving himself into the ground with a lack of asleep.

Which, Erik had to admit, was completely true. But he hadn't admitted that to Miranda, of course.

He had won that argument after a long battle between the two, and Miranda had been sleeping soundly when the door rammed open hours after Erik had left. Miranda had jumped up in surprise at the loud bang, and turned to glare at the door, her hand already in her electric glove, her green eyes narrowed and dangerous.

Erik stood in the doorway, an anxious and determined look on his face. Miranda didn't relaxed as she frowned at the look on her partner's face. "He's here," he managed to get out, breathing heavily.

Miranda stiffened instantly. "Schmidt?" she demanded, her voice coming out as a surprised squeak.

Erik nodded. "He's here, in Miami. The bartender saw him last night, said that the boat is in the dock. It's the same on in the picture. He's here, Miranda."

Miranda shuddered at the word boat, but recovered in a few seconds as she jumped out of bed, her crankiness forgotten. "He's seriously here?" she asked in slight disbelief as she reached to grab a black pair of pants and a black shirt nearby.

Erik nodded. "He's here," he repeated. "He's here."

Miranda took a deep breath. "You ready?" she asked as she hurried to the bathroom to get changed.

Erik smirked at her reassuringly. "Absolutely."

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><p><em>Calais, France<br>__1960_

"_I can't believe you just started a bar fight."_

"_I did not start it. That entire fight was your fault completely."_

_Miranda gave a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, yeah, because I totally threw the first punch in that fight," she replied, turning a dirty glare towards Erik as they walked along the pier not far away from the bar they had just been kicked out of._

_They had only been in the local bar long enough to get a few sips before a drunk patron had come up to Erik demanding money, saying that he had beat him in pool a few weeks ago. Things had escalated from there, and a fight had broken out when Miranda had been slapped for her 'mouth' and Erik had retaliated by punching her assaulter hard enough that he fell into and broke a table._

_Considering the situation, they were lucky that they hadn't been arrested. That would cause too many plans to be ruined, so they had settled for getting kicked out of the bar the first moment they could._

"_That's not the point. You were antagonizing them." Erik gingerly felt his jaw, where one of the patrons had been able to land a punch before Miranda had slammed her glass into the drunk man's head._

_Miranda shot him a look as she raised an eyebrow. "And you weren't? Hypocrite." A sneaky look suddenly came over her face, and she gave a grin that couldn't help but make Erik slightly nervous. "It was your fault," she said, grinning at him. "And I know the perfect way to get revenge."_

_Taking him by complete surprise, Miranda slammed herself into Erik as hard as she could. Unable to react in time to stop it from happening, Erik grunted as he was pushed into the water, giving a large splash as he hit the cold French waters. He heard Miranda's giggling as he surfaced, taking a deep breath that he desperately needed. His eyes turned hard as he looked back up at her laughing form._

"_Oh, yes, it's hilarious," Erik snapped, glaring up at her. He suddenly grinned. "Let's see how you like it." He held up his hand, and Miranda frowned at him before taking an involuntary step forward. Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening._

_Miranda screamed as her coat's metal zipper was wrenched forward, the action pulling her down into the water. Erik grinned smugly as she hit the water and went under, continuing to tread lightly as he waited for her to come up. He watched the water where she had fell in, waiting for her to surface. After around a half a minute, he frowned and he realized that there was no sign of her._

"_Miranda?" Erik called, frowning._

_No answer came, and the water remained eerily still._

_Panic setting in, Erik took a deep breath and dove under the water. The water returned to its smooth, glassy surface for over a minute, the only sound being the distant cries of seagulls and the faint sounds of the waves hitting the beach nearby._

_And then, with no prior warning, Erik surfaced, pulling a coughing and panicking Miranda with him. She was fighting hard against his hold, but he held her tightly, pulling her to a ladder nearby that sat in the water, for those who went swimming and needed to get out. He pushed her up first, treading water as she climbed unsteadily back to land. She coughed violently as she collapsed on the pier, her stomach emptying of water, brandy, and anything she had eaten recently._

_Erik climbed out as well, and put a hand on Miranda's back, steadying her the best he could as he tried to get air back into his own lungs. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice rougher than he intended it to be._

_He hadn't meant to hurt her when she had fallen in. He knew that she had been kidding around when she had pushed him in, and he had meant the same thing when he had pulled her in. They might have just started getting along, but they were getting more comfortable with teasing each other as each day came. Erik was positive that she hadn't hit her head when she had went in, but what had happened._

_Miranda was trembling, and sat back, pulling her legs to her chest. "Can't swim," she choked out, beginning to stain her cheeks._

"_It's not just that," Erik said, frowning at her. He glanced at the water, and then remembered the terrified scream she had gave before falling in. He looked at her, the realization finally setting in. "You're afraid of water."_

_Miranda looked away as she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down to little success. "I know, it's pathetic..." she muttered, a stand of soaked brown hair falling down onto her face, obscuring part of her vision. She refused to look at Erik._

"_Why?" Erik asked, unable to stop his curious question. He stood up and took her arm as gently as he could manage, standing her up. Her knees buckled, and he pulled her in so that she was depending on him for balance and support. As he tried to take a step, she remained still, and he sighed before picking her up. At least she was small and light._

_Miranda didn't answer for a few moments. "I nearly drowned when I was four. I didn't like going in water after that, but I wasn't afraid. When I was fifteen, my powers surfaced. My friend had pushed me into the water, and my panic caused my powers to activate." She stopped for a second, her voice softer than he thought possible from her. "I nearly electrocuted both me and him."_

"_And that made you afraid," Erik murmured. _

_Miranda nodded stiffly against his shoulder as he carried her back towards where the boardwalk let out into the pier. He set her down on a bench, and then leaned in front of her, forcing her to look into his eyes. Miranda's green eyes were still fearful, and he watched as she glanced at the water with panic in her eyes._

"_I'm sorry I pulled you in," Erik told her quietly. She looked back at him in surprise at his apology. She hadn't expected that at all. "I didn't know that you're afraid of water, and if I had, I would have never done that."_

_She nodded. "I'm sorry for pushing you in," Miranda replied shakily._

_Erik sighed. "We were both stupid, so let's forget about this." She nodded quietly. He sighed before helping her up. "Let's just go back to the hotel room."_

_She nodded numbly, and Erik couldn't understand why he had guilt flaring up in his chest._

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><p><em>Miami, Florida<br>__1962_

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's not going to work, Erik."

Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet."

"It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." Miranda stood on the small, rickety boat with narrowed eyes. Her angry green-eyed gaze was currently focused on Erik, and she actually seemed to be angry enough to forget the fact that she was on a boat.

"I know you hate boats almost as much as you hate Schmidt…" Erik began.

"No, I hate Schmidt more than boats," Miranda snapped, her glare turning even more fierce as she began pacing, rocking the boat a tiny bit. For once, she didn't seem to notice the slight movement. He was glad for that; the last thing he needed was a panicking partner. "But boats are a close second. This isn't a good idea, Erik."

"You don't even know what it is!" Erik exclaimed in frustration, shaking his head as he grabbed Miranda's arm, keeping her in place before she realized she was rocking the boat.

"You're in a wetsuit!" yelled Miranda, gesturing towards a large boat off in the distance a few seconds later. "Schmidt is on that boat! I don't need to know! It's kind of obvious, Erik!"

"What is my plan, then?" Erik demanded, frustration lacing his tone.

"You're going to get in the water, swim down to the boat, get on, and then kill Schmidt with the knife you took off the pig guy in Argentina," Miranda snapped back, gesturing towards the straps on his leg that held the blade. Erik frowned, and Miranda raised an eyebrow as she wrenched her arm from his gaze. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're not," Erik replied grimly.

Miranda smirked. "It's not 'you're right, I'm wrong', but I think that's the closest I'll ever get to that."

"I'm still swimming over there."

Miranda growled before shaking her head. "Erik, this is a murder mission, not a suicide mission. We don't even know if Schmidt has anyone with him on that boat. We don't know if he has innocents on that boat, or allies, or even an enemy that's going to kill him five minutes before we get there!"

"I'm not taking any chances, Miranda!" Erik retorted. He took a step towards the edge of the boat.

Miranda groaned before grabbing his arms and turning him to face her. She held his shoulders tightly as she looked right at him, and Erik returned a frustrated glare that signaled the beginning of yet another battle of the wills between the two.

"Erik, this is the closest we've gotten to Schmidt in years!" she growled. Miranda released her one hand away from his shoulder to point at the boat. "We actually know he's over there. We know he is physically there. And if this is ruined, we're never going to get another chance, you know why? Because we'll both be dead, Erik!"

"I can take him!" Erik snapped.

"Alone?" Miranda asked, raising an eyebrow. "What if he has allies? Then you're pretty much screwed, and then he'll find out I'm here, and I'm screwed, and he keeps on living and will probably murder more people as time goes on! How can you not think about the consequences of this?"

"Because there won't be any that we can't handle! Schmidt will be dead!"

Miranda rolled her eyes before massaging her temples. "I am never going to get through that impossibly thick skull of yours, am I?" she demanded, shaking her head. She looked frustrated enough to cry, which actually surprised her partner.

It was Erik's turn to take her shoulders and look at her more seriously than she could remember. "Miranda, I can do this," he told her quietly. "I'll be fine. I was his project for years. He won't kill me. He probably doesn't even expect me to be coming."

He had ulterior motives. Erik usually did, even though Miranda could usually figure them out in a few minutes. This time, though, he hoped she always remained in the dark about this. He knew Schmidt might hesitate in killing him. That might was only a slight possibility. Schmidt had nearly killed her the first time he had met her, over her husband's body. He had killed her unborn child.

Even if he lost his own life here, Miranda was not losing hers.

Miranda sighed. "Just… be careful, okay?" she asked, looking up at him.

Erik shot a reckless smile towards her. "Aren't I always?" he asked, releasing her shoulders.

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Careful? You? Yeah, that's you to a T, Erik. Just like how puppy dogs are evil killing machines."

"Shut up, Hanson," Erik replied, rolling his eyes as he put one foot into the water.

Miranda smirked. "Make me, Lensherr."

* * *

><p>Not ten minutes later, Erik surfaced only a bit away from the Caspartina, swimming as quietly as possible towards the ladder. Climbing it, Erik landed gracefully on the deck a moment later, sticking close to the walls as he searched for Schmidt. A few minutes had passed, and Erik had already covered a large amount of the boat when he heard voices not far away.<p>

"Comfortable, Daniel?

Erik recognized the voice instantly. He would know the voice of his mother's killer anywhere. Rage built in Erik's chest for a few seconds, but he remained hidden as he pulled out the farmer's knife, listening carefully to the reply.

"Oh, yes," came the voice, completely filled with sarcasm and contempt. "I'd be more comfortable if you… oh, I don't know… let me out of these handcuffs, maybe!"

Schmidt chuckled. "No can do." The voice was cheerful and amused, and more rage built up as Erik continued to listen. "You would jump off the boat and drown yourself. I still need you."

"Are you sure you're not precognitive?" the second voice asked. "Because if you are, you don't really need me, so the damned Russian can drop me back off in Geneva and I can forget that I ever met you, you sociopathic son of a bitch." A second later, the voice cried out in pain. "Sadistic telepath," muttered the voice a few moments later, considerably more subdued.

"Was that necessary, dear?" Schmidt asked, sounding amused as he spoke to another person.

Erik stood, the knife held tightly in his hand. "Herr Doktor," he greeted as he stepped into the light of the deck.

The people on the deck looked up, and Erik's bloody boiled as he saw Schmidt for the first time in years. He hadn't changed much. His hair was longer. He still managed to make Erik's blood burn hotter than fire, and Erik's grip on the knife tightened enough that his knuckles turned white.

Schmidt wasn't the only person on the deck. Unfortunately for them both, Miranda had been right. Sitting next to Schmidt was a willowy blond woman in a white dress, and a few feet away sat a man with sun-kissed skin, also dressed in white. What caught Erik's attention for a second was a dark-haired, unhappy looking teenager who was sitting not far from the second man.

What caught Erik's attention the most was the fact that this teenager resembled someone that Erik had never met in person, but had heard about dozens of times. Realization and confusion kicked in a moment later as Erik realized that there was only one person that this teenager could be.

Miranda was _not _going to be happy.

Schmidt replied in German, looking fascinated. [Little Erik Lensherr!] he exclaimed, grinning as though he had just met an old friend for the first time in ages.

The blonde next to him frowned. "He's here to kill you," she told Schmidt, not looking towards him. Schmitt turned to her, looking surprised, as she narrowed her eyes at Erik.

A second later, he fell to the deck, pained gasps escaping him as his hands flew to his head. A few feet away, still sitting, Daniel winced in sympathy before the man's name fully registered. Pure terror appeared on Daniel's face as he realized that where her partner and target could be found, Miranda would not be far away.

Images passed through Erik's mind, memories that he had only seen in his nightmares for years. Schmidt's face grinning over him, his twelve-year-old self strapped to a table, his screaming mother, the sound of the gunshot that killed her… the nightmarish memories blurred together, causing fear to shoot through his veins, paralyzing him for moments.

[What kind of greeting is that, after all these years?] Schmidt asked, sounding rather like a man scolding his son than a torturer to one of his former victims.

The blond frowned slightly as she came across something in Erik's mind, and then glanced at Daniel. A moment later, the teenager yelled out in pain as his free hand flew to his forehead. His eyes squeezed shut as he felt Emma rooting through his mind, unable to do anything against it.

The blonde looked at Schmidt before gesturing towards Erik. "He has an ally." She shot Daniel a smirk before looking back at Schmidt. "Our guest's sister-in-law, to be precise."

"So Miranda did survive, did she?" Schmidt asked, looking rather thrilled. "My, isn't that a surprise."

"If you touch her, I swear to God…" Daniel's threat was stopped as he cried out again, the telepathic attack increased in intensity.

Rage exploded in Erik as Schmidt's words came finally registered in his mind. Erik threw the knife, enhancing the speed with his powers, making it almost faster than a bullet. His face fell as the woman next to Schmidt turned to something inhuman, sparkling, and fast, catching the knife long before it hit Schmidt. The pain disappeared from Erik and Daniel, and Erik stood before lunging towards Schmidt.

The formerly blond woman smirked, and a harder than possible fist slammed into Erik's chest, knocking him over the railing and into the ocean below. Daniel winced, still breathing heavily as he glared at Shaw.

"Emma," scolded Shaw, staring down at her with a soft smile. "We don't harm our own kind."

"So what was David, then?" demanded Daniel, his voice rough.

"A special case." Shaw's reply with lightning quick, and Daniel's eyes narrowed angrily. "So, where is Miranda?" Shaw asked, looking at Emma.

"On a boat, a mile away," she replied. She looked at the handcuff prisoner, who was hitting the handcuffs fruitlessly against the railing he was trapped to. "She'll be on her guard. She's afraid of water."

Despite the fact that she was much older than him and the fact that he had been the baby brother in their long-ago lifetime together, protective rage formed in Daniel. "Don't. You. Touch. Her," he growled, knowing Miranda would be ticked off enough to find out that this had gone wrong.

Shaw smiled. "She won't be harmed." He looked at the blond telepath, and Daniel's eyes widened in fear as he realized how much danger Miranda was in. "Get Azazel. Our new guest needs a way here, so give her a warning that she'll have a visitor soon," Shaw told Emma, who smirked in reply.

Daniel's blood ran cold.

Then, he heard the boat horn.

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><p>"Oh, this is not good," Miranda murmured as she stood on the small boat, watching the larger one about a mile away. She breathed out heavily, shaking her head as she paced, trying to keep the boat as level as possible. "Erik, you've been gone way too long. Where are you, you stupid idiot?"<p>

Oh, God, if Erik was dead, she didn't know what she was going to do. She was freaking out already, and that was because she didn't know if he was alive or not. Things were only going to get more complicated from right now, and Miranda knew she had to stay calm.

This was not good.

And then, it hit. It was a dull pain at first, but it was enough for a hand to fly to Miranda's head as she winced. It sharpened, and Miranda screamed as she fell to the deck in pain. Her hands went to her temples, and her eyes squeezed shut as she struggled to breath. This was worse pain that anything she had ever felt. It was more pain that her miscarriage would be.

"Erik!" she whispered out of instinct, knowing an instant later that he wouldn't be able to help her.

And then, as quickly as it started, the pain ended. Miranda's eyes opened, and she stood shakily, taking a deep breath. She frowned as she realized that she smelled sulfur, of all things. How would she smell sulfur? Everything had gone crazy for a moment, and dread was a dead weight in Miranda's gut.

"Hello, Miranda."

Miranda whirled around in surprise, catching site of a red skinned thing standing behind her. Her hand turned into the electric glove she was so completely used to on instinct, but it was too late as a red tail came around Miranda's neck, cutting off her oxygen. She choked as spots appeared in her vision. Miranda's hand went to the tail, grabbing it tightly.

The red-skinned thing, which Miranda could best describe as a devil, cried out as volts of electricity coursed through his tail and into his body, causing pain that she could only dream of. As Miranda's vision turned to black due to lack of oxygen, the devil-man threw her through the air with his tail before disappearing in a cloud of red smoke, a second later, cursing quietly.

Miranda blacked out as she hit the water, disappearing under the choppy surface.


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** We broke thirty reviews! :D As a reward, you guys get another update. This is to resolve the cliffhanger. See, I told you guys I would update quickly if you kept reviewing. :) I'm loving all the thoughts and support I'm getting for this story, and I think this is honestly one of the most fun stories I've written. Hence why we've got over 25,000 words and this story has been up for barely over a week. Granted, though, I wanted to get this chapter out quick because Charles is here now. :) Yay!

I don't own X-Men. I wish I did. God, I wish I did. Sean and Alex would have gotten more scenes. Oh, well, I take care of that here in this story. ) That's your hint for helping break 30 reviews, guys, and over 1000 views, which is pretty much holy crap for me. Not the mention the favorites and alerts. Thanks so much. :)

However, I do need to give credit to _G.U.3.S.S._ for a line down in the later part of this chapter. You know which line it is, _G.U.3.S.S._ :) Thanks so much for it, because it was perfect for Miranda to use.

Please keep reviewing, guys! :) Can we break 35 with this chapter? You'll get another update soon if you do. :) And it's an orignal chapter, too. With more Charles. And Miranda/Erik. And Moira and Raven. Trust me, you want this chapter. But thanks to all the reviews, I hope you understand how grateful I am to you. Please enjoy, and please drop a review on your way out.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 7<em>

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><p><em>Miami, Florida<br>__1962_

In all honesty, Charles Xavier had not expected this when he had woken up that morning.

But then again, what normal person would expect this kind of situation? Never mind the fact that he was working with the CIA to help find a sociopathic man who had been responsible for some many deaths, who might also be working with communists. He was on a boat with the US Coast Guard, an agent who actually seemed to be a good ally, and, if he did say so himself, a very beautiful CIA agent.

The night was practically black, despite the fact that Charles knew they were in a pretty popular part of Miami. That was not the least expected part. He could easily see the boat in the distance. He could even see a smaller boat a little ways away from where the Coast Guard's boat was now. That wasn't unexpected.

The most unexpected part occurred as he lost his telepathic trace on Shaw. That was when he realized they might be in way over their heads. "I've lost Shaw," he whispered, his eyes wide as he stared at the boat in the distance. "I've lost Shaw!"

He reached out again, his finger pressing harder against his temple, but rammed into the same wall as before. "There's something blocking me," he realized, his eyes widening as his heart seemed to skip a few beats. "This has never happened to be before…"

Realization hit him a moment later. "I think there's someone like me on that ship," he whispered, his eyes staring at the boat in a different light.

Moira MacTaggert, on his right side, frowned over at him in confusion. "Like you?" she repeated, glancing back at the boat before returning her gaze to Charles.

"I'm sorry, another telepath," Charles explained. "This is incredible, I could actually feel her inside, my head…" He sighed before shooting one last glance towards the boat. "I'm very sorry, but I don't think I'm going to be much help for you here," he told Moira and the agent next to him, hating his words more and more ever second. "You're on your own."

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><p>On Shaw's boat, Daniel had resorted to hitting his handcuffs as hard as he could against the metal railing. He had to get the hell out of here, now. "The freaking Coast Guard?" he exclaimed, his voice a pitch higher than usual. He stared at Shaw. "Can't you just give up and let us go back to our lives? Seriously!"<p>

In the distance, Daniel could see the large coast guard boat, and even closer, he could see the smaller boats right on their way here. They were going to shoot first, ask questions later. Daniel was going to die on this boat, at the age of nineteen, a casualty caused by Shaw, despite the fact that the murderer would not personally kill Daniel.

Shaw chuckled at Daniel's question. "Now where would be the fun in that? This party's just started, Daniel." He looked at Janos, who nodded once before stepping forward to the railing.

Daniel frowned in confusion for a moment, and watched as Janos raised his palms. Twin whirlwinds appeared on each, and he slowly moved his hands as they increased in sides. A moment later, his hands were thrust out, unleashing the twin wind storms onto the oncoming boats.

"Oh, God!" whispered Daniel, his face losing color.

The wind hit the incoming boats at full force, knocking them through the air and into the water, upside down. Before it landed, Daniel could faintly hear the screams of the men as they landed after flying at least a dozen feet in the air and twenty feet back. He stared at where the boats had been a few moments before. The smell of sulfur appeared as a cracking sound did, but Daniel didn't notice the appeared of the 'damned Russian mutant' as he so called him.

"No Miss Hanson?" Shaw asked, frowning slightly at Azazel. The red-skinned Russian shook his head, scowling as he held a slightly-smoking tail. Shrugging it off, Shaw said calmly, "Take Daniel and Janos down below," he told the Russian mutant calmly. "Emma and I will join you in a minute."

It was like had not even heard those words. Daniel's face was white as he stared at where the boats had been a few moments earlier. As Azazel grabbed his arm, Daniel swallowed. Just before Azazel teleported himself and the other two men below deck, Daniel was able to whisper one last thing that was close to a quiet, desperate plea.

"God help me."

* * *

><p>Charles couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. He had known that there were others with powers. There had to be. Raven had powers. But seeing other powers used right now, in the destructive ways shown, was more than enough to make Charles glad that he had forced Raven to stay below deck in one of the cabins.<p>

As Charles hurried down below deck, he froze, his hand flying to his head as he gasped sharply. He knew that there were a few people on Shaw's boat. He had figured that out before he had been blocked out by the other telepath. But now, he could feel two other presences.

"Charles?" Moira's voice broke through, and Charles's eyes shot open and met Moira's brown ones. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"There are other people out there," Charles explained his voice breathless. "Two others… they're like me. They're in a danger." His face paled as he pushed opened a door next to where they had stopped on the stairwell. "Get a life preserver, one of them is about to drown!"

* * *

><p>In retrospect, Miranda knew that she had only been unconscious for a few seconds after she had gone under the waves. At the moment, however, as she awoke to find herself completely underwater with no visible light, it felt like she had been down here an eternity. She could remember what had happened, but those thoughts faded away as absolute terror took over every instinct.<p>

Panic broke through as Miranda kicked her legs, trying to remember what Erik had told her if she ever found herself in deep water. She had been too busy arguing that she wasn't going to be near water enough to ever need what he was teaching her. She forced herself not to scream or breath, and kicked heavily, not knowing if she was going up or down.

She was going to drown.

_Keep swimming up!_

Miranda's eyes widened under water as the unfamiliar male voice broke through her thoughts, and she froze, biting back another scream, this one of surprise. Those words had almost been a thought, but she knew she hadn't thought it. Most of her thoughts at the moment consisted of her freaking out, talking herself down, and then repeated the process a couple dozen times a minute.

It felt almost familiar, though. A chill ran down her back as she realized that it was the same feeling she had had a few moments ago, when that unexpected pain had caused her to drop to the deck of the boat. That had only been a few seconds before the red-skinned creature had appeared and had tried to grab her. At least Miranda had gotten in a good shock in on him.

She could hear buzzing in her ears, and everything was started to blur, even though most of everything was dark. There were tiny specks of light above, but Miranda couldn't tell as she remained completely still under the water, still beyond confused and terrified.

_No, don't stop! I'm not going to hurt you, Miranda, just keep swimming up! We have a life preserver near where you are, just keep swimming up and get to it, we can pull you up!_

That was when Miranda realized that it hadn't been any physical pain she had felt. It had been mental, if anything. She had not gotten hurt, and her head had been in the center of that haze. Whoever this person was, he was trying to help her, unlike whoever had been behind the mental attack earlier.

_I can't swim!_ Miranda thought back, not sure what else she could possibly do.

There wasn't a reply for several moments, and Miranda nearly began freaking out again just as the reply came. _Just stay calm, Miranda. Stay calm, don't breath in, and relax. It's going to be alright._

Miranda did her part as she kicked up a bit, the specks of light growing slightly larger as she did though. And then, near the specks of light, a form appeared, swimming down towards her. As Miranda continued trying to keep calm, ignoring the instinct to continue to freak out, the water became more light, allowing Miranda to realize that the figure was a man.

As her light faded to black again, Miranda felt something grab her around her midsection, pulling her up. _You're alright,_ the voice came again. _You're alright, Miranda, we're going to be at the surface in a second. You're alright._

True to his word, the man pulled her to the surface, breaking it a few seconds later. Miranda took a breath of desperately needed oxygen, choking as her stomach was emptied of what little she had eaten over the past two days. The grasp remained firm, yet gentle.

"You're alright," came the reassuring voice, this time outside of her head. With a jolt, she realized it was the man speaking inside her head a few moments earlier.

"You were…" Miranda choked again before trying to finish her sentence. "You… you were in…"

"Your head?" the man supplied, his voice slightly amused, though still heavy with worry. He pulled Miranda over to the life preserver, draping her arm around it. He looked up. "Moira, pull us up!" He looked back at Miranda, and she took a good look at him. He looked around her age, with soaking wet brown hair and cheerful eyes. "Sorry about that, I don't like going into people's heads without permission." He paused. "I'm Charles."

"Nice to meet you, Charles." She coughed again as she struggled to breath in and out. "You saved me from drowning," Miranda choked out, grabbing the lifesaver tightly. "You get a free pass for the mind-reading thing …"

The next minute was a blur for Miranda as she and Charles were hauled back onto the ship. Miranda immediately collapsed on the stable floor of the ship, having never been so glad to be back on something solid. She blinked water out of her eyes as she realized two other people she didn't know were staring at her in concern, the lone woman among the two leaning down next to Charles, watching her carefully.

"Keep breathing," she told Miranda quietly. "Just keep breathing."

"Miranda, this is the Agent and Moira MacTaggert," Charles said, taking a blanket handed to him by the agent. He draped it around her shoulders before glancing at Moira. "I only found her, but there someone else out there… I can't tell where for right now, though."

Miranda coughed. "It has to be Erik," she explained, her voice stronger than it had been a few minutes ago. "He's still out here, he went after Schmidt on his boat… but I don't know if he's still…" Her voice broke as she finally realized that there was a good chance that Erik was dead, that her nightmare had come to past.

"He's still alive," Charles reassured her quietly, leaning in front of her with a serious look in his eyes. He shot another look towards the boat before returning his attention to Miranda. "We'll find Erik, Miranda. Do you have any idea where he is?"

A moment later, Charles cried out again as a hand flew to his temple, his eyes squeezing shut. Miranda sat up in alarm as Moira turned her attention to Charles. Charles's eyes flew open, but a few seconds later, an explanation for what had just happened was not needed.

A strange sound came across to the boat, invading their ears. The attention of all four was drawn towards Schmidt's boat. Miranda struggled to stand up, and Charles glanced at her before pulling her arm up, allowing her to use him for balance as they both stood up. He moved her to the railing as they all stared at the scene. Shock was on three faces as a metal anchor flew through the air. Miranda looked on rather calmly at the scene, knowing instantly who was behind it. They watched in amazement as the anchor rammed through each level of the large boat until there was barely anything left of the boat.

Charles looked rather calmly at Miranda. "Erik?" he asked lightly.

Miranda nodded back. "Erik."

* * *

><p>Erik hadn't been harmed after being knocked off of the boat. He had surfaced a moment after he had been dropped in, fighting mad, but unharmed. The plan had completely failed, and he and Miranda had completely lost their element of surprise against Schmidt. He knew that they were both alive and hunting him down.<p>

Erik's heart almost stopped when he realized he had inadvertently alerted Schmidt that Miranda had survived that attack. Schmidt already had a good way of getting to her. The teenage prisoner on that boat had to have been Daniel, Miranda's brother-in-law, who was supposed to still be in Switzerland.

She was going to freak out.

But then Erik realized there was every chance that she was dead. They had no way of contacting each other, and somehow, the thought of her dead was like a bullet in his heart. Schmidt knew that she was alive, and that would mean nothing good for her. His anger building, he looked around desperately before realizing that there had to be an anchor behind him. With a smirk, Erik raised his hand as he continued to read water.

The anchor rose like a creature from the deep, ready to respond to Erik's command. Erik threw his hand forward, and the anchor reacted in turn as it slammed through the boat, all the way through the first level. For the moment, Erik was going to have to hope that Daniel had managed to escape. If not, he knew Miranda was never going to forgive him.

Erik repeated the process over and over, destroying the ship thoroughly enough that he was satisfied that Schmidt had to be dead. He gave a breathless smile, unable to believe that he had finished his hunt at long last.

A moment later, it was proven too good to be true.

Light came from below, and Erik glanced down in shock to see a rather large submarine that had already started to speed away through the waves. Schmidt was going to escape. He had failed. Schmidt hadn't died on that ship. He had managed to escape below, and Erik had failed.

Rage flared again. Schmidt was not going to escape.

Inspiration struck a few moments later. As quickly as he possibly could, Erik thrust his hand out again, clenching it into a fist as his eyes closed. He had an idea, and if this worked, there was no way that Schmidt was going to escape.

* * *

><p>"He's going to get away," Miranda murmured, staring in horror at the sub. Letting go of the anger she was feeling for a second, she turned her gaze back towards the water around where the remains of the boat were. "Where's Erik?" she whispered.<p>

"He's still alive," Charles assured her, keeping his gaze on the boat. "I just don't… oh, dear God."

Miranda glanced sharply at Charles before looking towards where his attention had been taken. Her jaw dropped, and her face what little color had remained as she realized that something was being pulled along with the quickly-escaping sub. Her blood turned to ice water as she realized that stowaway was Erik, and that the water swallowing him for longer and longer periods of time.

"Erik!" yelled Miranda, desperately hoping that he would hear her. "Erik, stop! Erik!"

"Let it go!" Charles yelled down, his face just as white as Miranda. He turned to the agent, his face set. "You need to get someone in the water to help him!" He turned down. "Let it go!"

"Erik!" Miranda shouted as he disappeared below the surface. She was shaking as she realized that he was under the boat now, and she leaned heavily against the railing. "God, no…" she whispered, an almost alien panic taking over every instinct in her body. "Erik, no…"

Charles looked at her for a second before turning and running towards what Miranda assumed to be the other side of the ship. The Agent, Miranda, and Moira all exchanged confused looks before a comprehending look came over the Agent's face. He rushed to the other side, and Moira extended an arm to Miranda to help her over. Miranda gratefully took it, unable to verbally thank her.

The two brunettes reached the other side in time to watch Charles jump off the side of the boat, much to the surprise of them and everyone else on the boat.

"Charles!" yelled Moira, shock in her eyes.

"He went after Erik," Miranda whispered, feeling a rush of pure gratitude towards Charles. She closed her eyes and swallowed as she sent a prayer to whatever God there might be. She prayed that Charles would actually be able save Erik from his own dogged determination, which she knew in itself was a nearly impossible task.

Miranda swallowed heavily as she realized that everything in this situation was out of her hands.

* * *

><p>His plan was working again. There were some bugs in it, of course. That was to be expected. Erik's vision was quickly going black as he continued through the water, and the only thing he could see was the faint light from the sub in front of him. If he stayed down here too long, he knew he was going to drown. He didn't care. He had dimly heard shouts before going under, but Erik was only focusing on the task in front of him. Schmidt was not going to escape.<p>

That was when something landed on his back.

_You can't!_

Erik's body fought back instantly, trying to force the new arrival off of his back the moment the message shot through his mind. He had already gotten tortured by Schmidt's telepath. No one else was going to mess with his mind tonight.

_You'll drown. You have to let go! _

Erik ceased a bit of his resistance as some of the words registered. He wasn't going to last long under here. He knew that he would be dead in only a few minutes, and then he would never be able to finish Schmidt once and for all. There was nothing else he had, though. He had to stop Schmidt.

_I know what this means to you, but you're going to die. Please, Erik, calm your mind. _

Telepaths were starting anger him a bit. How could they just go through other peoples minds like they were books? It wasn't right, and honestly, it really got on Erik's nerves.

He felt another probing in his mind, but at this point, his body had completely stopped fighting and instead was only focused on keeping his powers strong as he and the new arrival were pulled through the water, farther and farther away from the ship. Erik felt something that resembled victory before the telepath said something else.

_Miranda's alive, Erik, she's safe. You need to let go. She needs you._

At those words, Erik finally listened. Miranda had actually survived. He had known instantly that Schmidt would have sent someone to either kill her, or worse, take her. She was alive, and if this interloper was telling the truth, then she was safe. He didn't want to take a chance on this, but he knew that doing this alone would be a lot harder than doing it with his partner.

With a great reluctance, Erik released the sub, watching as it sped away. A moment later, he and the telepathic interloper swam up, breaking the surface a moment later with choked, desperate gasps. A spotlight shone on the two, revealing their faces to one another.

"Get off me!" Erik yelled, pushing the other man off him. "Get off"

"Just stay calm, breath! We're here!" the soaking wet brunette man shouted to the quickly approaching ship. He took a breath of relief before turning back to Erik.

"Who are you?" Erik demanded roughly, treading water as he glared at Charles.

"My name is Charles Xavier," Charles replied, glancing back at the boat before looking back at Erik. He felt a bit of relief. The look on Miranda's face had been heart-breaking, and he was glad that no one had died tonight, as far as he knew.

"You were in my head," Erik said, his voice still as rough as it been, both from the emotions running high and the lack of oxygen. "How did you do that?"

"You have your tricks." Charles gave a knowledgeable smirk. "I have mine. I'm like you, a mutant. Like Miranda. Like a lot more people than you think." He took another breath. "Just calm your mind."

"I knew I wasn't alone," Erik admitted after a few seconds. He took another deep breath. "But I never thought…"

"You would meet anyone else like you and Miranda," Charles supplied, nodding as he turned his attention to the quickly approaching Coast Guard ship, a ladder being dropped down. At the concerned look that came over Erik's face, he added, "She's alive. Wet and a bit upset, but alive. She was worried about you."

Those words provided Erik with an untold amount of relief, and even a bit of smug satisfaction at the last words, and it was the only thing he could focus on for a few moments. Those moments were long enough for both him and Charles to climb up and get back on the boat. Erik had barely been standing on the boat for a few minutes when he received a greeting he hadn't expected in the least.

"Erik!"

A still wet form rammed into Erik, and his arms instantly wrapped around her as he realized that was Miranda. For a moment, the relief was almost too much to bear as he held her in an almost too-tight hug. Miranda had survived. She was alive, she was soaking wet, looking a bit bruised, and exhausted, but she was alive, and that was all that Erik needed to know right now.

He was still furious. But for right now, just for right now, he could put that aside.

"Oh, God, you're alive!" Miranda exclaimed, pulling away a bit. She shot him an up and down look for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and hugging him again. "Thank God," she whispered, not bothering to recognize the relief in her voice.

"Concerned about me, Hanson?" asked Erik in a low voice, chuckling slightly.

"Yeah," Miranda admitted, her voice muffled against his chest. "Don't rub it in, Lensherr."

He smirked in victory. "Are you okay?" Erik finally asked after a few seconds, taking a step back to look at her bruising neck.

"Fine." Miranda smirked before going right back to teasing her partner. "You're starting to get lazy, my knight in heat-retaining wetsuit. Charles had to pull me out of the water."

Erik smirked at the jab. "If it makes you feel better, I was worried about you," he admitted quietly, knowing neither would be able admit what had been said just now, let alone the fact that they had been in a hug for almost a full minute.

"Actually, it does." Erik could almost see Miranda's smile.

As he felt the gaze of someone, Erik looked up, and Miranda squirmed out of his hug, her hand still resting on his arm. She turned around to see Charles still soaking wet and Moira standing behind her. She smiled gratefully. _Thank you._ She directed that thought towards Charles, who smiled slightly back. All four looked over towards the Agent as he stepped forward.

"I think we have some things to talk," the Agent finally said.

Charles nodded. "I think so," he agreed in a calm voice. He looked at both Erik and Miranda with a knowing smirk. "Actually, I'd say so. Of course, after we get the two of you into dry clothes. Interested?"

Miranda smirked. "Lead the way, Charles."


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Thanks for the great response last chapter, guys. I personally loved it for one big reason: Charles. I've been waiting to bring in Charles, and I was so excited for him to make his entrance. This time around, Raven appears for the first time, and I'll tell you one thing. Their scenes are a lot of fun. :) I hope you enjoy it, because this was a fun chapter to write, even if it was a little short. Next chapter will be longer.

Me no own X-Men. Clear? I only own my faithful jump drive, Sparky. Yes, my jump drive has a name. It has every bit of this story saved on it, so it gets a special name.

Please review, as always. We're so close to forty guys, and if we could get to that point, I'd be so happy. But then again, I'm just thrilled with the response so far. As long as you guys like this and let me know, I'll keep writing, because there's going to be more characters coming soon, which means things are going to get interested. Plus, Miranda gets to interact with other people other than Erik. But please leave a review on your way out, and tell me, who of the recruits do you want Miranda to have a scene with? Any ideas for those scenes? Anything you want to see happen between Miranda and any of the other characters?

Let me know in a review, guys. :)

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 8<em>

* * *

><p><em>Miami, Florida<br>__1962_

She hadn't reacted well to his discovery.

Erik and Miranda had been able to get into dry clothes provided by Charles and Moira. The talk with Charles, Moira, and the Agent had gone well enough. As well as could be expected, at least. Information had been exchanged, arguments had occurred, glares had been shared, and Miranda had hit Erik's arm at least three times.

Erik wasn't sure how he felt about the events that had transpired that night. On one hand, he was glad that Miranda had survived. Those moments where he had thought she was dead had been a painful few seconds, more painful than Erik had ever expected. He would never tell her how relieved he was to see her.

On the other hand, Schmidt – no, Erik corrected himself, Shaw – had escaped.

Again.

Right now, however, Erik forced himself not to think of Shaw. His attention was and would be on Miranda for a while, until he knew that she was going to be all right. He didn't blame her for freaking out.

He watched her with a sympathetic stare as she sat on his bed. Her shoulders had stopped shaking a few minutes ago, and now she was just trying to keep breathing. Erik hadn't seen her cry many times, but this had been one of those few, gut-wrenching times when his stronger than steel partner had showed that she was human.

There were few things in his present life that Erik found more painful than that.

"How could I be so stupid?" Miranda murmured, not looking up.

"You weren't stupid," Erik told her firmly as he sat next to her. He kept his steady gaze on her as he searched for a sign that she was okay. He wasn't going to let her leave this room until he was sure. "As far as you knew, Daniel wasn't a mutant. You didn't have a reason to suspect him of being one."

"Shaw has Daniel," she whispered a few seconds later. Shaking her head, she looked up at him, and he was surprised to that her eyes were still slightly red. Her eyelashes were wet, and several tears still stained her face. "Why would Shaw take him? What does Daniel have anything to do with this? How long will…" Miranda's voice trailed off as her eyes shut. She ran a hand through her hair.

Erik knew the end of that question. He had asked it himself a several times over the past few hours. How long would Shaw keep Daniel alive? And furthermore, what was Shaw doing to Daniel while he was being held captive? Erik refused to voice that one question to Miranda.

He had told her a lot over the years. She had long ago learned the circumstances surrounding Erik's mother's murder. She knew that Shaw had considered Erik a project of sorts, and being that project had been the only thing that kept Erik alive. She knew of the horrors he had seen, the murders of men, women, and children alike.

She even knew of the torture he had been subject to.

Erik had just never told her the extent of it.

And if she knew, Erik knew she would not be able to sleep without thinking of whether or not the man they were hunting was torturing Daniel.

"I don't know," Erik admitted, after a few hesitant seconds. He thought for a moment. "Daniel mentioned a term… precognitive. Something about how if Shaw was precognitive, then he didn't need him anymore." He frowned at Miranda. "Is that possible, though? A precognitive mutant?"

Miranda stared at Erik incredulously, as if she could not believe that he had asked that question. "Erik. You can control metal. Charles can read minds. I control electricity. That psychopathic telepath on Shaw's ship sent us to our knees with telepathy. I think it's possible for a mutant to be precognitive." She sighed. "Why didn't I know? I know that I hadn't seen him in years before Geneva, but how couldn't I have known?"

"Because Daniel's powers might not have surfaced before you last saw him."

Both Miranda and Erik turned to see Charles standing in the doorway, a pensive look on his face. Like Erik and Miranda, he also looked tired and worn, but still awake and interested in their discussion. Miranda shot Charles a questioning look as he entered, closing the door behind him to ensure they would have at least a little bit of privacy.

Charles turned back to look at Miranda. "I haven't met a lot of mutants. Raven was the only other one for years, before you both." Charles gave a slightly excited smile, and Miranda knew that he was thrilled to find other people like him. "But I think I have an answer to your question." He looked at Erik. "How old were you when you first used your powers?"

"About eleven," Erik replied cautiously, hoping that Charles wouldn't ask about the circumstances surrounding that instance.

Charles nodded before looking at Miranda. "And you?" he asked.

"Fifteen," Miranda replied. She frowned. "Charles, I'm sorry, but what does that have to do with Daniel's powers not being around when I last saw him?"

Charles smiled. "Everything." He looked at them both directly, clearly a bit uncomfortable as he spoke his next words. "I won't pry into it further, I promise, but when your powers surfaced, did severe emotional trauma occur directly before it?"

Erik nodded stiffly, refusing to give a verbal response, and Miranda replied, "I almost drowned just before my powers activated. But what does that have to do with anything? It doesn't make sense."

Erik's eyes widened in understanding. "No, it does," he corrected, looking at Miranda for a second before his gaze went back to Charles. "It makes perfect sense."

Charles nodded calmly, smiling slightly as he realized they both understood. "In both of your cases, extreme emotional trauma gave root to your power's appearance. Mine was less traumatic, as was Raven's, but it's different for everyone, just like how our powers are all different." Charles sat down, leaning against the chair in the corner of the room as he got as comfortable as he could. "You said David died when Daniel was fifteen, Miranda." As Miranda confirmed his statement with a nod, Charles continued, "The emotional trauma that Daniel suffered after his brother's death gave root to his powers. It would have taken a bit of time, but I'm sure that was the catalyst for his abilities' appearance."

"I left only a few days after the funeral," Miranda murmured, looking guilty. She froze before looking at Charles. "Is it possible that David was mutant?"

Charles sighed as he shifted slightly in his chair. "I don't know," he admitted. "It's logical that a pair of brothers would have powers, I suppose. I didn't know David. I couldn't say for sure, Miranda."

Miranda looked at Erik, and he frowned as he realized what had to be going through her mind. "We've wondered for years why Schmidt… I mean, Shaw… killed David. What if Shaw killed David because he was mutant?" she asked, looking pale.

"Shaw was keeping Daniel alive, though," Erik interrupted. He shook his head. "David was a mutant. He would have wanted him alive. Shaw wouldn't have killed David unless he did something that completely pissed him off."

Miranda swallowed nervously as she finally realized in that crystal clear moment how little she had truly known about her husband. "I have to find out why," she whispered. She looked at Charles. "Do you think Moira would have access to files that might have some information?"

Charles caught the gleam in Erik's eye, though it seemed Miranda did not. "She does," he confirmed. He glanced at Erik before returning his attention to Miranda. "I'll talk to her about looking at them for anything concerning David. I'm sure she'd be glad to help."

Miranda shot him a grateful smile, and Erik frowned as a spark of something angry jumped around in his stomach. "Thanks, Charles." She gave a yawn before standing up. She looked at Charles. "You said that Raven's room is a few doors down, right?" As Charles nodded, Miranda smirked and turned to Erik. "This is going to be amazing."

"Why is that?" Erik asked. His room only had one bed. Miranda had mentioned earlier that she was going to spend the night in Charles's sister's room, since she was not in the mood to be sharing a bed with Erik tonight. He didn't mind. He needed some alone time tonight.

Miranda smirked. "This is the first time in over two years that I don't have to share a room with you. If we weren't on a boat, this would be my idea of heaven." She squeezed Erik's arm as she passed, and shot a smile to Charles as she left the room. "See you boys in the morning. Behave, Erik."

Charles chuckled as she walked out of the room, keeping the door open behind her. He turned to Erik, and then said, "Moira sent some agents to gather your things from the room. They'll be here tomorrow, and then, we'll be going to a research base. Unless you and Miranda will be leaving soon?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Erik shook his head. "We're staying," he replied firmly.

Charles nodded with a slight smile. "Good. I'll leave you here, then. Goodnight, Erik." With those final words, Charles walked out, knowing immediately that he was not going to leave with the last word. He had just reached the door when Erik spoke.

"Charles."

Charles stopped and waited, knowing that these words were hard for Erik to speak. He just waited patiently for the words that Erik was trying to speak. When they came out, Charles couldn't help but smirk.

"Thank you… for helping Miranda. I do appreciate it."

Charles's smirk turned into a genuine smile that Erik couldn't see. "Anytime."

* * *

><p>Today had not been a good day.<p>

Miranda had been cranky all day, and the night's events had only made it worse. Now, she had a headache thanks to her near-drowning, her back was killing her from her being thrown into the water, her neck was bruised and sore from the guy's tail going around her neck, and she was just in a bad mood in general. Miranda didn't like having to be fished out of the water. She didn't like being in water in the first place.

There was also the matter of Daniel to consider. Her husband's brother, who she had seen only days before tonight, was with Schmidt as a prisoner. How could she have not known that he was mutant? It shouldn't have been that hard to figure out. She had known David and Daniel all of her life. How had she not known he was a mutant?

But further more… had David been a mutant?

Miranda knew that if she kept asking those questions to herself, she was only going to drive herself insane.

She took a deep breath as she stood outside the door that Charles had showed her earlier. Miranda wasn't going to take her mood out on the little sister of the man who had saved her life tonight. She could take it out on Erik tomorrow if she had to, but for tonight, she was going to relax and have fun having a roommate that wasn't Erik Lensherr.

She knocked lightly on the metal door before hearing someone call out, "Come in!"

Taking another deep breath, Miranda opened the door, slipping in and closing the door behind her. She smiled as she saw a pretty girl sitting on one of the two beds, standing as Miranda entered. She looked to be in her mid twenties, and her hair was a wavy, golden blond. The smile on her face was warm and welcoming, and maybe even a bit eager.

"Hey, you must be Miranda," she greeted cheerfully. Her smile was genuine, and Miranda smiled back instantly, unable to resist the girl's happy, friendly charm. "I'm Raven, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Miranda replied, shaking her hand quickly. She sat down on the other bed, and grinned at Raven. "You have no idea how great it is to meet-"

"Another girl mutant?" Raven interrupted, grinning as she finished Miranda's sentence.

There was silence for a moment. And then, the two grinned and erupted into giggles. Miranda had never realized how much she missed actually hanging around other girls. Erik could be good company once and awhile, when they weren't arguing with each other and in bad moods thanks to hunts gone bad, but giggling with Raven felt completely natural and good, despite being completely different.

"Exactly," Miranda replied, grinning.

Raven grinned before glancing at her clothes. "Hey, if you want to get into something more comfortable, then there's some really soft pajamas on the bed." She pointed to Miranda's bed, and Miranda smiled gratefully over at her. "Moira has the best pajamas ever, so I stole some… with her permission, of course."

"Thanks," Miranda replied, chuckling slightly, touched at her new roommate's thoughtfulness.

Raven readjusted her position so that she was lying down. "So, just out of curiosity," she said, looking at Miranda. "Charles mentioned you're traveling with a guy. Erik, I think. So, spill it." Raven grinned eagerly. "Boyfriend, fiancé, husband…"

"How about none of the above?" Miranda asked, chuckling slightly. No blush was on her cheeks, but these questions were making Miranda smile goofily. "Partners. I'm his friend on a good day."

"And on bad days?" Raven asked, cocking her head to the side curiously. She sat back up, frowning as she realized that she wasn't going to get very comfortable on this bed.

Miranda smirked. "I'm the bane of his existence."

Raven grinned. "Sounds like me and Charles. But I definitely don't feel the same about Charles as you do about Erik…"

Miranda frowned before turning around. "Sorry?" she asked, a bit confused.

Raven smirked knowingly, reminding Miranda eerily of Charles. "Oh, nothing." She looked at Miranda, and then grinned mischievously. "So tell me. Do you have any clothes?"

Miranda shook her head as she grabbed the clothes. "Not that many. Only a few pairs of pants and shirts. And a dress. But that dress got blood on it down in Argentina, thanks to Erik. That's pretty much it."

If possible, Raven looked even more cheerful than before, though she had frowned at the mention of blood on the dress. "Great, because I think I have the perfect outfit in mind for you tomorrow…"

Miranda blinked as she stood and pulled off her still somewhat wet boots. "I don't need help dressing myself, Raven." She shot her a look before turning around to glance in a mirror. "I'm not a doll."

"Don't ruin my fun!" protested Raven, shooting a teasing grin towards her new roommate. "You have been traveling with Erik for two years. When was the last time that you actually got to dress and act like a girl?" As Miranda thought for a few moments, Raven continued, "Plus, you don't need to worry. I took good care of my dolls."

Miranda pulled her hair out of her tight ponytail. "I don't know, Raven. I don't have a lot of clothes back in the hotel room, so I don't think I would be able to help-"

"Don't worry, that's not a problem."

Miranda froze in surprise. It hadn't been Raven's voice who had spoke. Miranda turned around slowly, her jaw dropping as she stared at her identical twin. It looked exactly like her, right down to the curly brown hair and the sharp green eyes. Her outfit, however, was different from anything Miranda had ever worn. It was a black coat and a white shirt, along with a black skirt that ended just above her knees and boots that ended at her mid leg.

"Raven?" whispered Miranda, staring openly at shock.

Raven, still in Miranda's form, grinned. "I told you I was mutant," she told her, in a voice that was half teasing and half scolding. She twirled so Miranda could take a look at the outfit. "Moira has the skirt in her room, I have these boots in the corner, Moira has the shirt, and I've got the jacket. I think it's adorable for you."

Miranda shook her head, finally grinning. "You know what? You can play doll with me if you want, because I do actually like that outfit," she said after a few moments, her voice lighter than before.

Raven smirked before her form changed. Blue ran over her body as she transformed back into her blond self, looking incredibly pleased. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" she exclaimed, grinning happily.

Miranda grinned. "Why do I have a feeling that we're going to drive both Erik and Charles crazy?" she asked dryly.

Raven smirked. "Because if we don't do it, no one else will."

Miranda grinned, already enjoying the chaos that was to come.


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Today was kinda great. _Glee_ came back on after far too much time away. Yes, I'm a total Gleek. So, if extra fluff got into this chapter, blame it on _Glee_. Or rather, thank _Glee_, since we've got some... okay, a good amount... okay, a lot... of Erik/Miranda moments! :D And I got this chapter done, and I've got plans for what I'm going to do next time. The next chapter will be up tomorrow, possibly, and hopefully we'll get another update Thursday or Friday morning, since I'll be going on a camping trip on Friday that will last until Sunday. However, my best friend's birthday is that Sunday, and I'll be going to her party that night.

There will be an update Monday, however. I swear there will be, because I know I'll be missing this story too much not to anything about it.

So, anyway, I don't own X-Men. Nope. I only own my copy of _First Class_. Oh, and I'll own a copy of X-Men: Destiny, which comes out in one week. I'm totally excited for it. :) I found out Milo Ventimiglia is voicing Grant Alexander, and a guy from _Friday Night Lights_ is voicing Adrian Luca. I'm playing as them. Am I the only one excited for it?

Anyway, please review. The goal for this chapter was forty-five reviews... you guys broke that last chapter. XD So thanks for that. It was a happy dance moment. Let's see how far you guys can get on your own. :) Remember, send in ideas for scenes that you want, give your favorite moments, and tell me whether or not you like Miranda's girl time with Moira and Raven. There will be more of it. ;)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 9<em>

* * *

><p><em>Norfolk, Virginia<br>__1962_

"We need a turtleneck."

"We're not putting her in a turtleneck."

"Well, we have to do something."

"They're not that noticeable."

"Raven, they're thin, very angry, purple bruises that look like a rope mark. They're noticeable, people will ask questions."

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe something that goes along the lines of why do you have marks on your neck that make it look like you were strangled by weirdly smooth rope? What is she supposed to say? That she was almost strangled by a red-skinned mutant?"

"…okay, that makes some sense."

"Yeah."

"But I'm wearing the turtleneck right now! I don't want to give it up…"

"Do I get a say in this?"

"No, Miranda, you don't. Now just stand there and look pretty while we decide what we're going to do about those stupid bruises."

"Thanks, Raven."

"Anytime. Moira, we can't put her in a turtleneck!"

"What do you suggest then?"

Raven scowled as she stood in the middle of the room, scanning over Miranda. The brunette looked faintly shocked about the events of the past hour, and glanced down at the outfit that Raven had showed her last night. Miranda would admit that it was a bit strange to be back in a skirt, but on the other hand, it felt amazing to have girl time after so many years of just Erik for company.

Raven had definitely risen to the occasion. The pretty blond had woken Miranda up over an hour ago, saying they had hair, makeup, and outfit basics to cover before they could head out. She had long since gotten Moira's clothes from her room, bringing along the brunette CIA Agent. Moira seemed to be just as eager as Raven to play doll with the newest arrival.

Miranda had quickly learned it was impossible to resist the combined force that was Moira and Raven. She felt untold pity for any person unfortunate enough to stand in their way, man or woman, human or mutant.

It was just amusing to see how much fun they were having. Moira had been laughing and joking around with Miranda throughout them getting her ready. Moira, who seemed to be so serious from what Miranda had seen of her, had actually been relaxed. Raven had looked beyond excited as she and Moira had discussed the outfit that Miranda was going to be wearing that day.

Miranda had never realized how much she missed girl time.

Of course, that was until Moira and Raven had realized they had one problem in their mission. The teleporter's tail had left a ring of bruises around her neck that had finished forming during the night. It had not deterred Moira and Raven, who had immediately gone into the debate of how they were going to hide the bruises.

Raven suddenly grinned. "Scarf!" she exclaimed, diving to the other side of her bed. Moira and Miranda exchanged amused glances as Raven grabbed a black scarf, held it up with a triumphant grin, and threw it over to the brunettes. "It's a compromise! It looks cute, and it hides the bruises!"

Moira caught it, and smirked. "Good idea." She turned and smiled at her fellow brunette. "Turn around," she told Miranda, taking the scarf in her hands.

Miranda nodded, and stood still as Moira wrapped it around her neck. She winced as the fabric came in contact with the injured skin, but didn't get any other sign that the action had caused her pain. She turned around, and she laughed when she saw the excited and proud grins on Moira and Raven's face.

"So?" Miranda asked, twirling as she took a look at her outfit in a mirror. She froze as she caught site of her reflection. "Whoa."

"What?" Moira asked, frowning slightly at her.

Miranda smiled back calmly, though she still looked a bit blown away. "I almost forgot I was a girl."

All three of the women laughed, and Miranda twirled once again to take a good look at the outfit. She couldn't deny that she was pleased with what Moira and Raven had done. It looked as though her trust in them had not been unfounded. Plus, seeing them so excited was a complete plus, from Moira's amused smirks to Raven's cheerful grins.

Raven smiled mischievously, unseen by Miranda but easily noted by Moira. "Erik's not going to know what hit him," Raven murmured, smirking.

"What?" Miranda asked, distracted as Moira tried to put a necklace around her neck. She frowned over at Raven, and the blonde rolled her eyes, both out of exasperation and even a bit of relief.

"Nothing," Raven replied, catching Moira chuckling to herself. The CIA Agent had clearly heard her words. "Nothing, Miranda." She looked and herself and Moira before frowning. "Okay, Moira, our project for today is done. Now we need to get ready, because I think we're going to be there soon."

Moira shook her head. "No, we're here. We docked a few hours ago." She turned to Miranda. "Do you know your way up to deck?"

Miranda nodded. "I think I remember it." She grinned at the two before glancing at herself in the mirror again. "Thanks, Moira, Raven," she said quietly. She smiled gratefully at them. "I appreciate this so much."

Raven grinned. "You can make it up by letting us do it until we're confident that you can dress yourself to our standards."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She looked at Moira. "Do you know if Charles and Erik are up there yet?"

"As far as I know, yes." Moira waved her hand towards the door. "Go, blow them away."

Miranda laughed before giving a two-finger salute. "Yes, Agent MacTaggert," she teased, laughing as she saw Moira roll her eyes. She glanced at Raven. "See you both soon." Miranda walked out of the room, shooting them one last smile.

Raven looked at Moira. "I think we should be very proud," she told the brunette agent.

Moira chuckled. "We should be." She picked up a skirt from the floor and tossed it over to Raven. "Now get changed. We're already late."

Raven gave a two-fingered salute nearly identical to Miranda's. "Yes, Agent MacTaggert!" she said before dissolving into laughter.

Moira just rolled her eyes

* * *

><p>"Nightmare?"<p>

Erik didn't look at his partner as she approached from where the deck led down into the lower levels. "How did you guess?" he asked quietly, his blue eyes as emotionless at the water below them.

"You've got that look on your face," Miranda replied softly. She looked up at him, watching her partner carefully for any sign that might give her a hint of what he had dreamed about last night. She stood next to him, leaning on the deck, her sharp green eyes worried and even a bit nervous.

She could find nothing on his face, which only served to make Miranda nervous. Erik had recurring nightmares. So did she. But then again, only a few nights ago she had seen a brand new nightmare, one that was making her question everything about her relationship with her partner. She hated doing that. She hated questioning how she felt about Erik.

Their relationship had worked for years. Why should she complicate it now with feelings that might not even be reciprocated? Miranda didn't know whether or not Erik would ever feel that way, and to find out that he didn't while she did would hurt too much. They were friends.

She sighed before she pushed those thoughts away, and then realization kicked her in the head. Miranda stared up at Erik in a different light, her face pale.

"What was it about, Erik?" Miranda said quietly.

Erik sighed before glancing down at Miranda. "Nothing," he murmured, blinking in surprise as he looked at her outfit. For a moment, something in his eyes almost shone with a smile, but it disappeared before Miranda could realize what it was. "It was nothing, Miranda."

She gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, that sounds familiar," she muttered, shaking her head out of exasperation. She looked out to sea for a moment. She hesitated before saying, "Look, today… it's going to be weird today. We're not used to Charles or Moira or the Agent yet, and you haven't even met Raven yet…"

"Am I correct to assume that she's the reason why you're suddenly in a skirt?" Erik asked, his face suddenly breaking into a rare, real, teasing smile.

Miranda slapped his arm with a laugh. "She is, but that's not the point." She sighed. "Today is going to be weird. We just need to have each other's backs. You know I've got yours, right?"

"I know," Erik replied, nodding. "And I have yours. Until the end."

Miranda smiled softly. "Glad to know," she murmured quietly. Hesitantly, Miranda's hand found Erik's and squeezed it softly. She was surprised when he returned it with a firmer one.

The two smiled at each other for a moment before Miranda pulled her hand away, once again glad for her tendency not to blush no matter self-conscious she might be feeling. And now, next to the man that she might have been in love with, Miranda felt completely self-conscious in the outfit chosen for her.

Erik suddenly laughed again. At Miranda's glare, he explained, "I'm sorry, it's just… surprising… to see you in a skirt." He shook his head, and Miranda's heart raced at seeing one of those beautiful smiles that only seemed to come once in a blue moon. "It's actually kind of amusing."

Miranda slapped his arm before pulling him away. "Shut up, Erik," she retorted, unable to stop her smile. She looked down. "I know, I look weird."

Erik shook his head. "No, you do not look weird," he told her firmly, blue eyes meeting green as he stared down at her. "You're beautiful, Miranda. Never forget that."

This time, Miranda couldn't have stopped it with anything that she had. A light pink blush crossed her cheeks for the first time in years, and she turned her head away. She didn't see the victorious smirk that came over Erik's face, or the light that appeared in her eyes that she had seen so few times before. It was a spark of something that resembled happiness.

"I don't care how many times you claim you're not, you're actually a very good man, Erik," Miranda said, shaking her head. She shook her head before looking out at sea. "We're going to find him."

"I know," Erik replied.

"Maybe not for awhile, but we will."

"Someday."

Miranda nodded, and then took a step back. "Okay, we've been mushy enough for today," she declared, the blush having long since disappeared. "Actually, we've been mushy enough for the year." She glanced down towards the door that led below deck. She gave a relieved smile. "Oh, perfect timing. Morning, Charles."

Erik scowled slightly at the sight of Miranda's smile before turning around to see a cheerful looking Charles. "Good morning," the telepath greeted, smiling at them both. "Miranda, you look lovely today."

Miranda beamed at the compliment. "Thanks, Charles. I have your sister and Moira to blame for this."

Charles laughed, and his eyes gave a twinkle that seemed to send out a wisdom stronger than his real age would suggest possible. "I knew that turning you over to Raven would be an interesting idea."

"Raven said she thought you planned that!"

"I planned it out as soon as I realized that you were going to be here for awhile." Charles frowned as he looked up and down. "Have either of you seen the Agent? I want to try and figure out where we're going next…"

"You don't know?" Erik asked, frowning suspiciously.

"It's the Agent's facility," Charles explained, glancing at Erik calmly. "I haven't learned as much as Moira knows."

"Well, Moira is down in her room getting ready, if you want to find her," Miranda suggested.

Charles nodded briskly. "Good idea," he replied. He looked down towards the docks and then said, "If you're both ready, once Raven and Moira get up here, I think that the Agent can take us wherever we're going." He frowned. "Actually, knowing how long it can take Raven to get ready… I'll be back in a few minutes." He walked away quickly, heading back down the stairs.

Miranda smiled quietly before looking at Erik, who was still scowling. "What?" she asked, frowning.

"Nothing," Erik snapped back.

Miranda frowned. "Someone's in a bad mood."

"I'm not in a bad mood."

"Sure seems like it."

"Shut up, Hanson."

Miranda rolled her eyes out of exasperation, knowing she wasn't going to be getting anymore out of him. "Make me, Lensherr."

* * *

><p><em>CIA Research Base, Virginia<br>__1962_

A few hours later, a black car pulled right to the front of a beautiful building that seemed to sprawl across spacious green grounds. Miranda stared at it through the window before exchanging a look with Raven in the back seat. She and Raven, being smaller than Moira, had been set in the back between Erik and Charles respectively.

The car had barely been parked for a second before the doors had opened. Miranda kept her gaze on the building as she edged out of the car, blinking in surprise as she saw that Erik was holding the door open for her. She smiled gratefully at him, and shook her head as he shot her a smirk back. She knew that he was a bit surprised at the level of this operation. Or rather, maybe he was more surprised at the number of guards outside. Erik closed the door as he and Miranda joined the others as they walked up to the front doors.

"Welcome to my facility," the Agent began, looking more than a bit proud of himself. The others paid rapt attention as he continued, "My mission has been to investigate the application of paranormal powers in military defense.

"Or offense," Erik added, shooting a glance at the man in black.

The Agent shot Erik an unreadable look before turning his attention back to the group at large. "This guy, Shaw." He looked at Miranda and Erik in turn before continuing, "Schmidt, whatever you want to call him, he's working with the Russians."

"What a shock," Miranda muttered, ignoring a look shot at her by the Agent, who seemed to be irritated at the interruptions from the two new arrivals.

"We might need your help to stop him," the Agent finished, glancing at each of the mutants in turn. Moira looked a bit troubled as she looked at each herself, her gaze lingering a bit longer on Charles.

"Marvelous," Charles said, nodding once. He turned to the Agent with an expectant look on his face. "So we're to be the CIA's new Mutant Division, right?"

"Something like that," the Agent replied after a few moments.

The hesitation was enough to cause the four mutants and single CIA agent to exchange worried glances.

* * *

><p>Not twenty minutes later, the group stood in what seemed to be a research lab. Hanging above them, suspended by cables in the ceiling, was the model of a sleek silver plane-like machine. Miranda couldn't help but admit that it seemed much more advanced than anything she had seen before in her life. She and Erik exchanged glances at a tall, brunette man with glasses made his way over, glancing at the plane with a proud look on his face.<p>

"It's a supersonic," he explained. "The most advanced plane ever built." A small, faraway smile came over his face, and Miranda couldn't help but smile when she realized how proud this man truly was of his creation. "You should see it in real life, It's incredible."

The Agent stepped forward. "Hank, these are the special new recruits I was telling you about." He turned back to the mutants." This is Hank McCoy, one of our most talented young researchers.

Charles stepped forward, a friendly smile on his face. "How wonderful! Another mutant already here!" Erik and Miranda exchanged a look as Hank's face fell. Raven frowned in puzzlement before glancing at Miranda for a second. Charles didn't notice any of the reactions as he turned back to the Agent. "Why didn't you say?" he asked, puzzled.

"Say what?" the Agent asked, frowning in confusion.

Charles sighed as he realized the mistake he had made. "Because you don't know," he murmured, guilt crossing his face at an alarming speed. He turned back to Hank immediately. "I am so, so terribly sorry," he apologized, looking guilty enough to cause Miranda to wince. Hank shook his head before making a gesture, as if to say it wasn't a problem.

The man in black just stared at the young researcher for a few moments before stepping forward. "Hank?" the Agent asked, his voice surprised.

"You didn't ask, so I didn't tell," Hank explained quietly, looking down at the ground.

"So your mutation is what?" Raven asked, stepping forward. "You're super smart?"

Miranda smiled quietly to herself as she caught the look that was exchanged between Raven and Hank. As she glanced at the two, she realized it was actually absolutely adorable. The gorgeous blond girl and the dorky brunette boy. It was almost something out of a high school movie.

But then again, this was anything but high school.

"I'll say," Charles agreed, nodding once as he took another good look at Hank. "Hank here graduated from Harvard at the age of fifteen."

Miranda chuckled quietly as she patted Erik on the arm. He glanced at her as she took a few steps forward. "And here I had trouble passing algebra," she deadpanned, smiling warmly at Hank as she stood next to Raven.

Hank chuckled at Miranda's attempt at a joke, but still seemed to be solemn. "I wish that's all it was," he murmured, glancing down at his feet nervously.

Moira stepped forward as well. Miranda couldn't help but notice that Erik stood back, stilling watching the situation with the careful eye that made him an excellent hunter. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his cautiousness, though she couldn't blame him for acting this way. He hadn't had the best experience with any form of government, after all, so she couldn't blame his cautiousness at all.

"You're among friends now, Hank," Charles assured him quietly, giving him an encouraging smile. "You can show off."

Nodding once before gathering his nerve, Hank took of his brown shoes hesitantly. Miranda noticed that her shoes, with her feet still in them, could easily fit into the large shoes. She and the others watched as he removed a pair of socks, revealing what appeared to be another pair of hands. Miranda blinked in surprise, and then smiled softly as she realized they were Hank's rather large feet, which did resemble hands more than actual feet.

"Splendid," Charles murmured, smiling softly down at the feet.

Hank smiled shyly, and then glanced over at a grinning Raven. He glanced up at the model plane above them, and then grinned. "I'm sorry," he said, gesturing for them to step back. The group immediately complied, and he took a deep breath before jumping up, his feet latching onto the plane and holding him upside down perfectly.

Whoa!" Raven exclaimed, staring at Hank in amazement. The breathless grin was still present on her face, and it seemed as though it wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

Erik took a step forward with a cautious smirk, and Miranda shot an amazed grin towards him.

"Ta-da," Hank said weakly, his attention directly on Raven.

The pretty blond took a few steps forward, glancing up at the brunette researcher. "You're amazing," she murmured, her brilliant smile causing a similar one to appear on Hank's face after only a few seconds.

Upon seeing a suddenly exasperated look on Charles's face, Miranda stepped over to him, who had moved back a little bit to stand by Erik. "Someone has a crush…" Miranda murmured to Charles, grinning teasingly at the telepath.

Charles groaned before replying in a low voice, "God, Miranda, don't even go there."

"I think it's adorable!" Miranda whispered, smiling over at the two. "I think they're adorable!"

"She's my sister!" protested Charles.

"All birds leave the next, Charles."

Charles just stared at Miranda for a few seconds. "Why do I have a feeling you're going to become another bane of my existence?"

"Because you probably read my mind and figured out that Raven taught me all the ways to get on your nerves."

Erik chuckled quietly to himself before taking a step towards the two. He seemed to be much calmer than earlier, and Miranda couldn't help but be glad for that. "She won't stop anytime soon, Charles. She's thrilled to have someone else to annoy other than myself."

Charles rolled his brown eyes, a teasing smirk on his face. "I'm honored."

Miranda smiled innocently, and Erik only rolled his eyes.


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Note**: So yeah, I'm pretty convinced that I have the best, most amazing, supportive readers in the world, because we've gone from forty-five reviews to fifty-two. In about a day. You guys are so freaking amazing that I'm totally obligated to throw you another new chapter. So, the plan is for possibly another chapter tomorrow or Friday. And then no updates until about Monday, because I'll be camping in the woods. :( Which will still be fun, but...

This would have been up earlier, but tonight, you can blame (ironically, if you look at the title) _The X Factor_. Yeah, I laughed too when I realized that it was distracting me from _Turning Tables_. And yes. I watch way too many TV shows. Which is why if I get an update out tomorrow night, it'll be a miracle, since it's _Vampire Diaries_ night.

Anyway, yeah. I don't own _First Class_. Not even a bit. I wish I did. I really do. But I don't. Maybe I'll get it for Christmas. But I'm kinda aiming towards a new laptop with an actual word processing program, so I doubt that'll happen.

As always, please leave a review on your way out. But whether you do or not, I'm still thrilled, because this chapter has passed the fifty review mark. And it isn't even two weeks old. Hello, my most sucessful fanfic. But you guys have no idea how thrilled I am that you like it. :) As always, leave suggestions and ideas for scenes that you'd like to see, because I am working on getting some together.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 10<em>

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><p><em>CIA Research Base, Virginia<br>1962_

"Erik! Open up!"

Erik instantly stiffened as he heard the knock on his door. His body relaxed a bit when he recognized the voice after a second, but he frowned as he took the suitcase sitting open on his bed and laid it down on the floor, hiding it behind a table. She couldn't know he was leaving. He didn't know how to tell her that, and by the time she found out, he would be long gone.

"Erik, I know you're in there! If you don't let me in right now, I swear to God…"

He sighed, rolling his blue eyes, before crossing the room and opening the door, revealing his tired-looking partner already dressed in a longer nightgown, her normal sleeping apparel. "What?" Erik asked, unable to keep a somewhat harsh tone out of his voice.

To her credit, Miranda did not flinch. Instead, she gave a relieved grin and squeezed past Erik, closing the door behind her. "Raven is suffocating me!" she rasped, leaning heavily against the door. "I needed to get away!"

Erik rolled his eyes. "I thought you enjoyed your girl time," he said, taking a steps back before sitting back down on the bed.

Miranda sighed. "I do. But there's a limit to how much girl time I can have after spending so much time with you and getting used to having no girl time whatsoever, unless you count me completely flipping out on you when I'm super-hormonal." She flopped down on the bed next to Erik, and he cracked a smile as she closed her eyes. "I'm exhausted."

"I think we all are," murmured Erik. His gaze lingered on the slow rise and fall of his partner's chest as she tried to relax. He rolled his eyes. "Do I take it that you're staying here tonight?"

"Absolutely," Miranda replied. "Don't get me wrong. So far, Raven has been amazing. She's the sweetest girl. But she's completely crushing on Hank right now, and dealing with crushes isn't the easiest thing to deal with." She sighed, leaning up as she pulled her brunette curls over her shoulder. "And… I'm just too worried about Daniel to be able to give her the attention she needs right now."

Erik nodded in understanding. "He'll keep Daniel alive for awhile, Miranda," he assured her. His eyes grew hard, and she noticed how his body unconsciously tensed as he only mentioned Shaw. "We'll find him before it gets worst."

Miranda nodded. "Thanks, Erik," she murmured. She sighed, laying back down with her eyes closed. "I'm so exhausted right now. More so than usual, and I mean even more than those nights we're traveling…"

Erik chuckled. "Go to sleep," he told her, shaking his head.

"Aren't you going to?" Miranda murmured.

Erik shook his head. "I'm going to read for awhile," he replied, standing up and walking across the room to a table.

Miranda's green eyes widened, and she smiled teasingly at him. "Let me guess. _The Once and Future King_?" she asked, prompting a smirk and chuckle from Erik as confirmation. Miranda shook her head. "You've read that book dozens of times. Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Never," Erik replied, pulling the book off the table. He smiled softly before looking at her. "It's your fault in a way. You bought the book for me last year. I believed you called it birthday present, even though I had never told you my birthday."

"Ironically, it actually was your birthday when I actually gave it to you," murmured Miranda. She sighed before cuddling up against a pillow. Erik sat back down on the bed, opening up the book. "What part are you on?"

Erik chuckled. "I thought you said you'd never read this book."

"I won't. The more you talk, the quicker I fall asleep."

Erik rolled his eyes, but smile softly to himself. "So the sound of my voice is that boring?" he asked, knowing that she would instantly hear the baiting tease to his tone.

"No," Miranda corrected, her voice growing softer and more drowsy. "It's more like it's that comforting."

Erik chuckled, a genuine smile relaxing onto his face. "Do you want me to read to you?" he asked. He glanced down at her, and blinked in surprise when he realized that she was fast asleep. Brown curls obscured her face, and her breathing was soft and quiet.

He watched her for a few minutes, a sad look in his eyes. He didn't want to leave her. He knew that she was going to completely flip out when she found out he had left her, and sooner or later, she'd hunt him down in order to utterly destroy him. Hell had no fury like Miranda scorned. But the events of the previous night still haunted him.

The longer they engaged on this hunt, the more likely Miranda would end up injured or dead. Erik didn't care if he died on this quest for vengeance. He did care if Miranda died. The last few days had been hard for them both, physically, mentally, and emotionally. They had fought for their lives daily, and now, as Erik took a good look at how he felt about Miranda, he knew that staying would only cause his worries to double.

He stood slowly to keep the bed steady. The last thing he needed was Miranda to wake up and realize that he was going. She was not coming with him this time. He had been fine on his own before. He would be fine on a solo hunt again.

He slipped towards the suitcase, picking it up and setting it on the table. He opened it open, setting _The Once and Future King_ back inside, safe and sound. He closed the suitcase back up before slipping to the door. He opened it and stepped out, but paused before he completely left.

Erik shot one last regretful look towards Miranda. "I'm sorry, Miranda," he whispered before slipping out of the room, closing the door behind him. Miranda slept on, unaware of her partner's escape.

* * *

><p>"From what I know about you, I'm surprised you've managed to stay this long."<p>

Barely twenty minutes later, Erik stopped in his tracks as a voice invaded the silence surrounding the outside of the research base. The grip on his suitcase, which now held Shaw's file, stolen from the Agent's office minutes before, tightened. His stare turned icy as he turned around, not surprised to see Charles standing behind him, an unsurprised look easily read on his face.

"What do you know about me?" Erik demanded, his voice colder than what Charles had every heard from another human being.

Erik's respect for the telepath went up a notch when Charles didn't flinch. "Everything," Charles replied in a tone of absolute calm.

"Then you know to stay out of my head," Erik snapped. He turned back around, walking quickly away.

"I'm sorry, Erik," Charles said, stepping forward as well. "But I've seen what Shaw did to you." Erik stopped in his tracks, and Charles smiled when he realized he finally held Erik's attention. "I've felt your agony." He hesitated for a second, but then saw that Erik seemed to be paying more attention that before. "I can help you."

For a few moments, Erik stood, silent, as he contemplated Charles's words. For one, he couldn't believe that Charles had had the nerve to go through his mind, to read his most private and horrifying memories. Charles had seen his nightmares, and that made Erik more than uncomfortable. It made him feel vulnerable, something that he didn't allow himself to be. Miranda only knew of those nightmares, and she knew not to mention them.

Finally, he turned to face Charles. "I don't need your help," Erik told the brunette telepath, two blue eyed gazes meeting each other across the sidewalk that lead to the building.

"Don't kid yourself," Charles said, shaking his head. "You needed my help last night. You may not like to admit it, Erik, but if we hadn't been there last night, both you and Miranda would have died."

Now, he had a reaction. Erik's body stiffened instantly, and the icy glare seemed to increase dramatically in temperature, instead turning angry and fiery. Charles hid the surge of victory he felt. Now he was getting through to the surprisingly stubborn Nazi hunter. Why hadn't he played the Miranda card before this?

"It's not just me you're walking away from, Erik," Charles told him gently, taking a few steps forward. "Here, you have the chance to be apart of something much bigger than yourself. You've seen what can happen when you join forces with one person. What if you joined with others?" Charles saw the hesitation in Erik's eyes, and continued in on the roll he had gained. If he had been in Erik's position, Charles knew that he would leave behind Raven if it meant protecting her, even if it was a personal journey for her as well. Miranda had been Erik's partner for years. If he was willing to leave her behind, Charles knew that he truly feared for her life."You're trying to protect her, Erik, but who are you to judge whether or not she needs protecting?" Charles asked musingly, a pensive look on his face as he watched Erik's face darken with anger.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Erik replied, his voice laced in warning and anger.

"I told you last night that she still needs you." Charles took a few steps back, watching him carefully as if he was a particularly interesting subject in an experiment. "I wasn't lying to you. She needs you, Erik. And you need her." He turned back to the doors, and Erik watched him. "I'm not going to make you stay. I could. But I won't. Just think about what you'll be leaving behind if you do go." He paused. "Or rather, who you'll be leaving behind."

As Erik stood watching his retreating back, Charles smirked. "Shaw has friends. You've seen what having one can get you. Why not get some more?"

Charles's words echoed in Erik's head long after he had left.

* * *

><p>The next morning involved Charles desperately avoiding Miranda's gaze in order to not be the one to tell her that Erik had left last night. He had a feeling that her reaction wouldn't be pretty to say the very least. It wasn't a problem for now. The Agent had pulled in Charles and Miranda after breakfast that morning, saying that he needed to talk to them.<p>

As they sat in the Agent's office, both Charles and Miranda looked outside the window. A few dozen yards away sat a strange white building. The Agent had said that it was a key to finding other mutants, and Charles listened closely as the Agent explained what it was.

"Hank turned that radar installation into a transmitter. It's designed to amplify brainwaves, so it could enhance your telepathic powers." He looked at Miranda and Charles in turn. "It'll us find other mutants for our division."

"What if they don't want to be found by you?"

All three turned to see Erik standing in the doorway. He looked a little tired, but none worse for wear as he looked at both Charles and Miranda in turn before turning his attention back to the man in black. The Agent looked a bit annoyed at the question, Charles looked pleasantly surprised, and Miranda had a puzzled look on her face, as if she was trying to figure out where Erik had been all of this time.

"Erik!" Charles exclaimed, smiling at him. "You decided to stay!" He stopped a moment too soon, and winced over at Miranda, who had suddenly sat up straight, looking furious.

Miranda scowled over at Erik. "You were going to leave?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her partner.

"I was," admitted Erik. He exchanged a smirk with Charles. "I changed my mind." He turned his attention back to the flustered looking Agent. "If a new species is discovered, it should be by its own kind." He nodded towards Charles and Miranda. "Charles, Miranda, and I find the mutants. No suits."

"First of all, that's my machine out there," protested the Agent, sitting straight up as he glared at Erik. Miranda raised an eyebrow at the man. "Second of all, and much more importantly, this is Charles's decision. He's fine with the CIA being involved. Isn't that right?" he asked, turning to Charles for support.

"No," Charles replied. He smiled at both Erik and Miranda before looking back at the Agent. "I'm sorry, but I'm with Erik. We'll find them alone."

"Miranda-" the Agent said, hoping to find support in the sole female present.

"Do you need to ask whose side I'm on here?" Miranda asked, exchanging a smile with Erik and Charles. She looked at the Agent. "Imagine you have these powers, and then, people in suits come and tell you that you're needed to help the CIA. Imagine the freak-out. Now, imagine people with powers like yours come and talk to you. Much less intimidating this way."

"What if I said no?" the Agent asked, looking at each of the three mutants in turn.

Charles leaned forward, and smirked at the Agent. Instantly, Erik and Miranda knew that the three of them had won this argument. "Then good luck using your installation without me."

* * *

><p>Barely an hour later, Charles, Raven, Miranda, and Erik trudged up the stairwell to the installation pointed out by the Agent earlier. The staircase was winding, and Miranda blinked in surprise as the ceiling of the staircase opened up into the top room. It was a high-ceiling room, with a platform in the center and computers on the far side of the room. A helmet of some sorts was suspended above it. As she followed Charles and Raven in, Miranda shot Hank an encouraging smile.<p>

"Cool place, Hank," she said, taking a good glance around at the clearly technologically advanced room.

Hank beamed at the compliment. "Thank you, Miranda." He took a look around, and he smiled proudly. "I call it Cerebro."

Charles grinned over towards Hank. "As in the Spanish for brain?" he asked.

"Yes," admitted Hank, chuckling to himself. As Charles took a few steps forward to take a good look at the platform, Hank explained, "Okay, so the electrodes connect Charles to the transmitter on the roof. When he picks up a mutant, his brain sends a signal through a relay and the coordinates of their location are printed out here." While he spoke, he pointed to several of the different machines against the far side.

Raven took a step forward, staring at the machines before turning back to Hank. "You designed this?" she asked, sounding amazed.

Miranda stood a bit behind her and Erik, glancing at the platform along with Charles. She frowned slightly at Raven, and then realized that the blond was a bit nervous. For a moment, Miranda put herself in Raven's shoes. If Erik had to do something like this, she would be a complete nervous wreck. Raven had to be given some credit for even coming.

Hank looked pleased as he replied, "Yeah."

He and Raven turned around as Charles stepped onto the platform, bringing the helmet down on his head. Miranda stifled a laugh as she saw that Charles looked slightly ridiculous. Charles shot her a warning look, and Miranda put her hands in the air, unable to wipe the grin off her face. Erik smirked.

"What an adorable lab rat you make, Charles," Erik teased, taking a few steps past Miranda to take in the view of Charles in the helmet.

"Don't spoil this for me, Erik," Charles warned, looking completely serious. He shot a mock glare towards the taller man.

"I've been a lab rat," Erik reminded him, a faraway look coming over his face. He shrugged as he took a step forward, leaning against the platform. "I know one when I see one."

"Behave, Erik," murmured Miranda, rolling her eyes as he shot an amused smirk towards her.

"I am behaving," Erik replied, shaking his head. "I am definitely behaving today."

Miranda rolled her eyes before looking at the other three mutants present. "No, he's not," she said in a stage-whisper. "He's waiting for the best time to completely drive me crazy. He always does."

The smirk on Erik's face only confirmed Miranda's words. It also seemed to relax Charles and Raven. Raven chuckled slightly, and managed a nervous smile to Miranda, and Charles rolled his eyes. He was clearly getting used to the banter between the two.

Hank stepped over to Charles, stopping as he began to readjust several knobs on the helmet. Miranda stood on the right of Erik, and Raven stepped to her other side, shooting a nervous look towards the older brunette. Miranda shot her a comforting smile as she put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. The two women returned their attentions to Hank.

"Okay, great," Hank said as he took a step back. He frowned at Charles for a second. "You sure we can't shave your head?" he asked.

"Don't touch my hair," Charles warned.

"Okay," Hank replied immediately, heading back to the machines.

The attention of all three mutants was on Charles as Hank began to switch on the machine. Charles shot Raven a reassuring smile before closing his eyes. Miranda took a step towards Raven and put an arm around her, giving her a quick hug before putting her hand on her back. The brunette shot the younger blonde an encouraging smile, but it seemed to do little. Raven swallowed heavily again, and Erik and Miranda exchanged looks before turning their attention back to Charles.

Finally, Hank, turned back to Charles, seemingly waiting. And then, as blue lights came down on them, Charles cried out, his hands flying to the handles of the platform. His eyes were wide as he saw something they clearly did not, and he suddenly grinned, giving a laugh.

The laugh seemed to be enough to calm the other three down. Erik gave a shrug, which Miranda knew from experience meant that he was impressed with Hank. Raven's face broke out into a relieved grin, and Miranda smiled quietly to herself.

"It's working!" Hank exclaimed, looking beyond thrilled. "It's working!"

Miranda grinned. "Congratulations, Hank," she told the researcher, shooting him a thumbs up. "Very nice job."

Raven beamed over at Hank before turning back to Erik and Miranda. "None of us are alone anymore, are we?" she asked quietly, her gaze still on Charles.

Miranda smiled before looking at Erik, who smirked back at her before turning back to Charles. "I don't think any of us were ever alone," she murmured. She squeezed Raven's arm before looking back at Cerebro.

"Things are going to be different, at least," Hank said. He was still beaming with pride.

Erik looked at the two, and Miranda frowned at the troubled look on his face. "Will it be for the better though?" he asked, looking at each of the four in turn.

No one had an answer for him.


	12. Chapter 11

**Autor's Note:** This is another love/hate chapter. On one hand, it's got a couple funny Erik/Miranda moments and has more of Moira, which is never a bad thing. On the other hand, I'm not crazy about the two new character introductions. I tried to figure out a way that certain scenes could occur later on without the two new characters, but I realized that if I want the sequel the way it's being set up, I do need to introduce these two sooner rather than later.

And yes, there _is_ a sequel in the works. I've decided that I'm enjoying this universe too much to pack it up once First Class ends. This won't be the end of Miranda and Erik.

But make no mistake: this story's focus is on Erik and Miranda. The other characters play supporting roles (some more than others, such as Moira, Raven, Charles, Daniel, etc), but others do have their part to play. So there is a reason for my introducing two new characters. It may not be clear now, but it will be clear soon enough.

But anyway, away from that.

So within an hour I'll be in the great outdoors. Wish me luck. I just found out we're going to a place that is unofficially the Pine Tree Capital of the State. I'm allergic to pine. I wish my friend would have remembered that...

I do not own X-Men. :( I so wish I did. But I don't. No use crying over spilled milk, so I'll settle for writing fanfic about it.

So yeah, please review, so I have something nice to come home to. :) Don't get me wrong, camping should be a blast... but the pine trees won't be. Hope you all enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 11<em>

* * *

><p><em>Baltimore, Maryland<br>__1962_

"I'm not going into the strip club."

"There's a mutant in there."

"I'm not going into the strip club."

"Miranda, we don't have a choice."

"Oh, don't act like you're not completely enjoying the fact that the first mutant is in a _strip club_!"

"Seriously, Miranda! We don't have a choice here!"

If he was asked, Charles would say that Miranda had a right to be angry at Erik for almost leaving. However, she had remained calm while they were at the base. She had been friendly to him even. That afternoon, however, when the three of them had left the research base to find the first few mutants whose locations they had, Miranda had completely blown up at Erik.

It had not been a pretty experience.

For hours, the car had been completely silent, with Erik scowling in the front seat and Miranda glaring through the window of the backseat. Every now and again, she launched a harsh kick into the back of Erik's seat, causing him to roll his eyes and scowl further.

Charles had a new appreciation for any parent with two or more children.

And now, after hours of being stuck in the car, the partners' tempers had finally reached the breaking point. If he had to find the exact point, Charles would guess that it came when they realized that the coordinates of the first mutant pointed directly to a strip club.

Hence why the three now stood on the sidewalk outside, Erik and Miranda facing each other, angry green and enraged blue eyes meeting, scowls apparent on their faces even in the dim light of the streets. Neither seemed inclined to back down at any point.

Finally frustrated beyond what he thought was possible, Charles rolled his eyes before stepping between the arguing partners. "Alright, you don't need to come into the strip club," he said to Miranda, easily stepping into the role of peacemaker. He pointed down the road. "There's a diner down there. Get yourself some dinner, Erik and I will get the mutant, we'll get out, and we'll continue to the next one. She's in this town as well. She shouldn't be that hard to find."

Miranda considered the proposition for a moment, her glare remaining on Erik. "Fine," she finally agreed. She turned her gaze to Charles, and raised an eyebrow as she waited for a few moments.

Charles rolled his eyes before pulling out several crisp bills out of his pocket. "You are far too much like Raven for my comfort," he told her.

She smirked. "Thanks, Charles." Miranda shot one last glare to Erik before turning away, heading down the street towards the diner.

Charles frowned for a moment before calling out, "Get something for us and the new recruit!"

"Maybe!" Miranda called back. Erik and Charles could distinctly hear her laughing as she walked away.

Charles sighed. "She's not going to get something for us, is she?" he asked dryly, glancing at Erik.

"No. She'll get something for herself, you and the recruit, and make sure I get nothing." Erik smirked down at Charles before adding, "Just you wait. She'll hold this over my head for a long time."

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," Charles said as the two stepped towards the entrance of the strip club. "She wouldn't hold a grudge like that for long, would she?" Charles frowned and turned around when Erik stopped in his tracks.

Erik shot Charles an amazed look. "Charles," he said slowly, speaking as one would to a small child. "Miranda has been hunting her husband's killer for nearly four years. She has traveled to globe searching for that man, and was doing so alone for two years. And you're telling me that she won't hold a grudge for my near departure?"

Charles thought for a moment, and then patted Erik's shoulder. "I wish you luck," he replied, entering the club.

Erik rolled his eyes before following the telepath.

* * *

><p>"So you haven't found anything yet?"<p>

"Nothing."

Miranda leaned against the wall of the building as she held the payphone to her ear. "I'm not going to be surprised if we don't find anything," Miranda admitted. "But Moira, I do appreciate you looking."

"It's not a problem," Moira assured over the phone, her voice warm though slightly tired. "It's not like I have anything better to do right now. But so far, there hasn't been anything for David Hanson."

Miranda frowned. "Wait, no, it wouldn't be under David Hanson. It would be under David Holloway."

"Wait, Hanson is your maiden name?" Moira asked, her tone completely surprised.

Miranda cracked a smile. "Technically, I'm still legally Miranda Holloway. When I went after Shaw, I started going by my maiden name. If Shaw heard that a girl named Miranda Hanson was going after him, he might be confused about who I was…" Miranda chuckled.

"But if he heard that Miranda Holloway was going after him, he'd immediately know it was you," Moira finished. She sounded faintly impressed. Miranda heard a sigh over the line. "I'll look again under Holloway. How are things going on your end?"

"Charles and Erik are getting the first mutant," Miranda explained. She took a glance up and down the street. "After we get the first one, we'll find the second one and come back in a day or two. According to Charles, they're both girls, so if you guys could get a room ready for them…"

"Not a problem," Moira replied.

Miranda grinned. "Thanks, Moira. You're amazing."

"Anytime. We'll see you guys when you get back. Tell Charles that Raven is fine, and that I _didn't_ catch her kissing Hank in Cerebro…"

Miranda laughed. "Will do. See you soon."

Miranda hung up the phone and sighed. She bit her lip as a hand raced through her brown hair. She didn't know why looking for David in the CIA files was a good idea. But for Miranda, it was doing something to try and find Daniel. When she had been looking for Shaw, it had been to kill him.

Now, finding Shaw meant finding Daniel.

She wouldn't fail this time.

* * *

><p>About twenty minutes later, in the nearly empty diner, Miranda sighed as she sat down, rubbing her temples. She had been calm when talking to Moira, but after she had been left to her silence, Miranda had a chance to muse over her situation with Erik. She was still beyond furious with him for even thinking about leaving without her. They'd been partners for over two years, and this was how he treated her? She had already blown up at him earlier, and if it wasn't for Charles, Miranda would probably still screaming at Erik.<p>

Her partner was an _idiot_.

Miranda's thoughts were interrupted as a voice broke in. "Hi, I'm Caroline, what can I get you?" Miranda looked up to see a young brunette girl with bushy hair and light blue eyes. In her hands was a tablet of paper, and as Miranda watched, the waitress removed a pencil from behind her ear and held it in her hand, waiting patiently for Miranda to answer.

"A suitably decent serving of revenge against my idiot partner," muttered Miranda, not thinking about her words before she spoke them. She froze suddenly as she realized what she had just said, and then looked up, cringing at the waitress.

To her credit, the waitress didn't blink. She merely gave an understanding smile. "Let me guess. Men trouble?" she asked, staring down sympathetically at her.

Miranda frowned back as she considered those words. "It's complicated," she replied, shaking her head.

"Life usually is," Caroline replied, chuckling slightly to herself. "Can I get you anything to drink for now?"

"Could I have a cola please?" Miranda asked, unable to think of what else she wanted.

Caroline nodded, slipping her paper tablet back into her pocket. "Coming right up."

Caroline walked away, and Miranda sighed before putting her head in her hands. She knew that finding these mutants was important, and that Erik was an important part to that task. That didn't mean that Miranda's desire to strangle Erik was any less potent. But for now, she was still mad at him, even though she knew she shouldn't be.

He had actually almost left with her.

Okay, now she was back to be absolutely furious with him.

She groaned. "Erik Lensherr, I swear, someday I'm going to kill you," Miranda muttered to herself, knowing in the back of her mind, if it ever came down to that point, she would never be able to do it.

She looked up as Caroline approached again, holding the cola. "Here you go-" the waitress said as she began to place it on the table.

What happened next surprised them both. Caroline's entire arm disappeared, and the cup fell to the table, splashing the cola all over the table and Miranda. Miranda's green eyes widened in shock as she stared at the missing arm, and Caroline gasped sharply, her face losing all blood in a matter of seconds.

"Not now, oh God, not now!" Caroline whimpered, her body shaking.

"Oh my God," whispered Miranda. She watched in amazement as Caroline's arm reappeared. "You're a mutant. You're the other one!"

"I'm a what!" demanded a frightened Caroline, trying to clean up the mess with a cloth. Her hand was shaking as if in an earthquake, and her blue eyes were terrified. She looked as though she was going to burst into tears. "Look, please, you can't tell anyone, please, I'm begging you-"

_Miranda, are you at the diner?_

Miranda hissed as her hand flew to her temple. Caroline's words stopped instantly as she stared at Miranda. She stood next to the table, the wet rag in her hands and fear in her eyes as her whole body trembled. She gulped and back away, but Miranda shook her head and gestured for her to stay. Caroline swallowed again, but remained nearby.

_Charles! Give me a warning before you do that._

_My apologies, but it appears as though luck is on our side tonight. We have the new mutant - Angel - and we're coming to the diner. I picked up the other mutant's name. Caroline. I think she's at the diner. Do you see her anywhere?_

Miranda's eyes immediately went to Caroline, who stood frozen in front of her, eyes wide. The poor girl, who Miranda realized couldn't be more than eighteen years old, looked like she was much closer to bursting into tears than she had been a few seconds ago. Miranda took her hand, and then pulled her into the seat next to her.

"Look," Miranda said gently, forcing Caroline to look her in the eyes. "This is not a curse. Your powers are a gift, and right now, you have a choice. I can tell my friends that I didn't find you, and you can go on with your life. Or, if you want, I can tell them you're here and want to hear what he has to say." Miranda let go of her arm, and give Caroline a sympathetic smile. "What's it going to be?"

Caroline hesitated for a second, looking at her arm for a second. After a moment, she turned to look at Miranda. "Can he help me control it?" she asked, her voice a fragile whisper.

Miranda nodded calmly. "I think he could. And whether he can or can't, I'll help you in any way that I can."

Caroline nodded before swallowing heavily. "I want to talk to him."

Miranda smiled.

_She's here, Charles. C'mon over. She wants to hear what you have to say._

* * *

><p><em>New York City, New York<br>__1962_

It had taken a ridiculous amount of time to find the right taxi driver. Out of the admittedly few mutants they had found so far, Charles knew that Armando Muñoz had been by far the hardest one to find. No wonder Erik had looked like he was ready to kill someone by the time they actually found the right cab and the right driver.

"Where to fellas?" Armando asked pleasantly as Charles and Erik got into the back. Charles could sense instantly that they had finally found the right driver, and he gave a relieved smirk.

"Richmond, Virginia, please," Erik said, glancing at Charles to confirm that they had finally found the right person.

"Right," Armando said slowly, frowning at them in the mirror. "So, you want the airport, the station…"

"No," Charles corrected, shaking his head with a small smile. "We were rather hoping you would take us all the way."

Armando shot them a surprised look. "That's a six hour drive," he warned them, still watching them through the mirror.

Erik smiled. "That will give us plenty of time to talk."

Erik's gaze went to the front of the cab. He flicked his hand, and the reader in the front flipped down to stop the fare from going up. Armando froze for a second, his gaze turning down to the front of his cab before going back to Erik and Charles.

Charles looked at Erik in a half-scolding manner. "I think that's too much too soon."

Erik shrugged off his friend's words. "Whatever works."

* * *

><p><em>Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania<br>__1962_

"What the hell does the government want with Alex Summers?"

As she walked down the hallway of the prison, Miranda gave a careless shrug. "I just go where they tell me," she explained to the prison warden as they headed down the hallways to what she knew was solitary confinement. "I know just as much as you do."

The man gave a worried frown as they stopped outside a door. "Well, I hope you're not planning on putting him with others," he warned as he set his hand on the door handle.

Miranda's frown deepened. "Why's that?" she asked, starting to dread her first meeting with Alex.

"He's weird," the warden said, after a few moments of thought. "First guy I've ever met who actually prefers solitary confinement."

Miranda gave a tense smile. "Well, he won't be alone for long. I need to talk to him privately." She tapped her hand on the metal door. "In here will be fine. Just close the door behind me."

The warden shot her a look that clearly said he thought she was crazy. "You sure about that?" he asked slowly. "He's not a weakling, ma'am, and he is pretty dangerous…"

Miranda's smile turned a bit more strained at the man's expected, but still infuriating attitude. "I think I can handle myself," she replied, raising an eyebrow at the man. "Now please, open the door. I don't think this conversation will take long."

The man sighed before opening the door, taking a few steps back. "He's all yours."

Miranda nodded. "Thank you." She took a few steps into the cell, and shot a warm smile to the blond haired young man sitting in the back of the cell for what seemed to serve as a bed. Miranda waited until the door closed behind her before saying something. "Hello, Alex."

He frowned at her suspiciously, and Miranda felt a pang when she realized that Alex couldn't be twenty years old. For a moment, she tried to remember what the file they had found on him said. And then she remembered. Alex was nineteen years old. He was way too young to be in solitary confinement, but if Miranda's suspicions about why he preferred it were true, he was much more mature than his age would suggest.

"Who are you?" Alex asked, frowning suspiciously at her.

Miranda smiled. "Your chance to learn how to control the power you have," she replied, crossing her arms and waiting for his reply.

Alex raised an eyebrow, and his face seemed to pale. "How do you-"

Miranda held up her arm, and pulled down the sleeve of her long blouse. Immediately, the electric blue glove charged and settled on his hand. "You're not the only one in this world with powers," she explained as she saw the amazement on her face. She sighed as she discharged her hand, the blue glove disappearing. "Look, just hear me out, okay. This is your choice completely, but… I think you'll want to hear what I say."

"Why's that?" Alex asked.

Miranda smiled sadly. "Because I can both get you out of here and get you with people who can understand and help you control your powers."

Alex hesitated for a few moments, and Miranda watched as conflicting emotions crossed his face. For a few moments, a tense silence existed between them, Miranda watching Alex and Alex watching the ground. Finally, after more of the heavy silence, Alex looked up, his face emotionless.

"I'm listening."

* * *

><p><em>Boston, Massachusetts<br>__1962_

"Crazy huh?"

The aquarium was mostly empty right now. The blond haired teenage girl frowned as the words broke the tranquil silence of the observation room. She had actually been enjoying that silence, and she had no idea who had broken it. She turned to her left, a bit surprised to see a red-haired teenager about her age standing next to her, watching the clownfish in the tank in front of them.

"What?" she asked, frowning at him.

"You like fish, I like fish, too." The red haired looked down at her with a charming smile. "Maybe we should get a bite sometime. Talk about it." He waited for her reply with a hopeful look on his face.

She pretended to think about it for a moment before shooting a look up at him. "I'd rather go out with the fish."

With those words, she turned around. The red haired teenager smirked as he watched her take a few steps away. He turned back to the fish tank with a grin before opening his mouth. A muffled screech came out, shooting through the glass and hitting the fish. The orange fish scattered around instantly, hiding in the corners of the tank until none were visible from where either of them were standing.

"These fish?" the red head asked, turning around to watch the blonde.

She turned around, and blinked in surprise when she saw that every fish that had been swimming around a few minutes ago had disappeared. For a moment, she felt almost angry, and several bubbles appeared in the water, floating to the top of the tank before popping.. She shot a forbidding look at him before turning around and leaving the room. The red haired boy sighed before turning back to the tank.

The blonde continued out, not looking at a group of three coming towards the room just as she was leaving. She accidentally bumped into the sole female of the group, muttered a hurried "excuse me", and hurried to the exit. The trio exchanged looks, looking from where the blond was exiting to where the red head was standing.

"Why do I have a feeling that we've found our mutants?" Erik asked, frowning slightly.

Ignoring her partner, Miranda looked at Charles. "That's Katie?" she asked, pointing to where the blonde was walking towards the exit of the aquarium. She disappeared from view as she walked out the door, and Miranda's frown deepened when she realized that finding her might have just become a bit harder.

Charles chuckled. "That's Katie." Charles gestured towards where the red head was still standing. "We can take Sean. She's all yours."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Charles." She slapped Erik's arm as she passed him, making her way towards the exit as she followed Katie.

Erik shot a glare towards her retreating back before turning to Charles, and just before she made her exit, Miranda turned around and smirked over at Erik. The taller man rolled his eyes as she disappeared, shaking his head out of both frustration and perhaps a bit of amusement.

Charles chuckled to himself before glancing back in towards where a tall, red haired teenager was standing in front of a tank. "She's still mad at you?" he asked.

"Of course," Erik muttered. He shot him a look. "Still think she won't hold a grudge?"

Charles chuckled. "I stand corrected," he admitted, looking as though he did not care at all that he had just admitted he was wrong.

* * *

><p><em>Hartford, Connecticut<br>__1962_

"Wait, Moira, slow down!"

That night, Miranda stood at a phone booth outside the motel they had decided to stop in for the night. This recruitment trip had been highly successful, with Sean Cassidy and Katie Ellison, both of Boston, agreeing to join the new mutant division. Talking to the parents had been interesting to say the least, but at least they had the kids with them.

"Miranda, you need to get back here. Now."

Miranda frowned. "Why?" she asked, puzzled. She froze as horror and anxiety stepped in. "Oh, God, Moira, is something wrong with one of the others? Caroline, Alex? Armando or Angel? Hank? Oh, God, if it's Raven, Charles is going to freak…"

"It's not about them!" Moira exclaimed. She sounded both excited and a little worried. "I found a file on David."

Miranda froze. "You're kidding me." She took a deep breath. "Moira, what does it say?"

Moira hesitated for a second. "You're going to be surprised. And you are not going to like it."

"Try me."

There was silence for a few moments. Just as Miranda began to wonder if the phone call had been disconnected, Moira finally replied. Later in life, Miranda would realize that nothing could have ever prepared her for what Moira said next. It was one of the least likely things she could have imagined.

And yet, another piece of the puzzle that had been David Holloway fell into place.

"David was working with the Agent when he died. He was a member of the CIA, Miranda… and I think Shaw killed him because of that."


	13. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** I'm ba-ack. :) God, I missed you guys. I spend all weekend wondering what you thought of the last chapter, and I'm glad to see that you guys liked it. This chapter, we catch up with Daniel for a bit, and then we go to the best Erik/Miranda scene yet, because we finally get a little action! :D That's all I say for now. Keep reading to find out what happens here.

But thanks to the people who asked how camping was. It was fun. Very, very wet. But fun. :) I had some awesome times, and even a Hangover experience, where I literally remember nothing from a three hour period of time. I blame my friend for making us run around so much. We were so exhausted we didn't know what we were doing. According to my friends, though, I was just asleep then.

But anyway. I do not own X-Men. What I do own is my copy of X-Men: First Class and my copy of X-Men: Destiny, which was slightly disappointing but still a fun play. My guess was right. Adrian was by far the coolest of the three player characters. But yeah, I do claim the four original characters - Miranda Hanson, David Holloway, Caroline Scott, and Katie Ellison - as my own children/OC characters, because really, that's what my OCs become to me sooner or later. But that doesn't mean I don't torture the crap out of them.

Please review. We had eight reviews for the last chapter, which is an all-time high. This is a landmark chapter for me because this story becomes my longest one posted here with this chapter. So please review to mark this personal day of achievment for me. :) But thanks to all the supporters I have with this, you're all beyond amazing. :)

Thanks as always, and please enjoy!

There's also a poll relating to this story on my main page. Please go and vote. :)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 12<em>

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><p><em>Unknown Location<br>__1962_

"There's nothing on radar?"

"Nothing."

"Sonar."

"Nyet."

"Then we have a problem."

"Yeah, you have a problem. Me. I'm still stuck with you and your sociopathic son of a- AGH!"

The pain in Daniel's head disappeared almost as quickly as he appeared, but it was familiar enough for him to determine the cause almost instantly. Each time he said something that Emma didn't like, he would get a painful telepathic scolding.

Unfortunately, it just so happened that Emma disliked most, if not all, the things that came out of his mouth.

Daniel's scowl darkened as he saw the satisfied smirk currently at home on Emma's face. Out of the corner of his eye, he could also see amused looks on the faces of Azazel and Janos. As he sat in the back of the sub's control center, Daniel alternated his glare from Emma to the handcuff keeping him trapped to the wall. It had been days since he had seen something other than the interior of this submarine. He was getting a serious case of cabin fever.

Plus, his neck was killing him thanks to his sleeping on the floor.

Daniel's glare remained on Emma for a few seconds. "Seriously, attacking me telepathically every time I open my mouth?" he demanded, shaking his head. "A bit immature, aren't we - ARGH!" Daniel's eyes squeezed shut for a few seconds before opening again, tears of slight pain at the corners.

Emma smiled sweetly at him. "You were saying?" she asked, her tone a taunting bait.

After a few seconds of Daniel glaring at her silently, Emma's smile turned into a frown again as she turned and walked back into what Daniel knew what Shaw's office. The door slid closed behind her, and Daniel spat towards it.

"I hope you rot in hell, you psychotic bitch! Both you and your precious Shaw!" he growled, eyes wild. He paused for a few seconds, a musing look on his face. "Oh, wait. You're here. Shaw's here. We're already in hell!"

Azazel chuckled. "You are disproving my opinion of your intelligence, comrade."

Daniel frowned in confusion. "Mind explaining?" he asked in a somewhat mild turn.

As much as he might have actively hated both Emma and Shaw, Daniel didn't personally have anything against Azazel or Janos. The other two members of Shaw's team didn't attack him whenever he said something irritating, at least. If this situation had anything that resembled normalcy, maybe Daniel could have been friends with the two.

But, fate had decided that Daniel had to meet the two after being kidnapped and held hostage because his precognitive powers would be useful to their boss.

This could only happen to Daniel.

Azazel shot Daniel a look. "Do you kick an angry Siberian tiger?" he asked the teenager.

Daniel frowned. "No," he admitted, shaking his head. He hesitated for a moment, and then perked up a little bit. "But then again, it's fun to taunt Emma. And Shaw doesn't even give a crap, he thinks I'm amusing."

"You are," Janos assured him. The Spanish mutant smirked. "But I don't think that Emma finds you quite as amusing as we do."

"Psychotic bitch," repeated Daniel bitterly. He leaned against the wall and shook his head. "My life is like something out of a horror film right now. I've been kidnapped by the damn Russian-" Azazel rolled his eyes. "The crazy telepath hates me. I think that it's the second time I've heard the silent guy speak-" Janos rolled his eyes with an amused smirk. "And I haven't bathed in God knows how long."

Completely ignoring what Daniel had said, Janos turned to Azazel. "I almost hope that Shaw keeps him," he said to the red-skinned mutant conversationally. "He's at least some form of entertainment."

Daniel's blood ran cold. "I knew Shaw was going to kill me," he murmured. He looked over towards the door as Shaw entered, looking almost excited. "Wait, let me guess," he snarled. "You're going to torture me just like Erik. Never mind what else you did to him. This time around, though, your test subject doesn't survive. Right?"

"Now, Daniel," scolded Shaw, his voice sounding more directed to children than a teenage mutant who had seen much more than any man his age ever had. "Torture is beneath us both, don't you think? Besides, you're still of use to us. You're actually going to be a big help to us very soon."

"Great," muttered Daniel, glaring at Shaw. "I can't wait. Oooh, let me guess, we're going to terrorize more people? Sounds like fun."

Shaw looked amused as he replied, "No, actually. It looks as though your sister-in-law's telepath friend is recruiting his own mutant team." Shaw smiled. "We're going to go and meet them."

Daniel's blood ran cold as he realized that, no matter how much he might try to convince himself, his powers were telling him that nothing good would come from this.

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><p><em>Hartford, Connecticut<br>__1962_

To say that the game was intense was an understatement. Both sides were fighting to the death, and it seemed as though the game could go either way. Moves were made throughout it, and as the two spectators watched carefully, neither could pick up who had an advantage, if an advantage was possible between the two equally matched opponents.

The table had been set up next to the bed, and Erik and Charles sat on either side of it. Their complete concentration was on the chess board in front of them. Two pairs of blue eyes stared down at the pieces. Charles gazed down as his white pawns, while Erik spared a quick glance towards the black bishop that Charles had captured moments before.

Sitting on the bed were their two recruits. Despite everything that had happened over the past few hours, Erik was impressed to note that both teenaged mutants were calm and seemed to be taking the events of the day rather well. Externally, at least. Erik could only imagine what was going through their minds right now. Sean and Katie sat next to each other, watching the board as well. Both teenagers, however, looked slightly bored with the game.

"Someone make a move already!" Sean groaned, running a hand through his red hair. "We're not getting any younger here!"

Katie rolled her eyes. "It's not exactly an exciting game," she said to Sean, looking back at the board. "And this could actually be considered an exciting match for this particular game…" She glanced at Charles. "Right?"

Charles chuckled. "Right, Katie," he replied warmly, glancing at his remaining pieces. "I have to say, Erik, you're rather good at this."

Erik chuckled. "It's nice to play someone who actually knows what he's doing."

"You and Miranda have played before?" Charles asked, smiling quietly to himself.

"I've played," Erik corrected, chuckling. "Miranda doesn't have enough skill in chess for her moves to be considered playing." He paused for a moment as he finally made his move, taking his knight up a few spaces. "And she wouldn't disagree. She's admitted herself she's horrible at chess."

Katie frowned. "Where is Miranda, anyway?" she asked, leaning forward with her chin in her hands.

Sean raised an eyebrow at Katie before shooting her a charming smile. "What, you're not getting sick of me, are you?" he asked, shooting a pair of puppy-dog eyes towards her.

Charles glanced at Katie, and chuckled softly when he saw her resistance weaken a tiny bit under Sean's gaze. If he had to guess, Sean had not even noticed those few quick moments of vulnerability coming from Katie in those few seconds. A few seconds later, though, it was as strong as ever, and his amusement rose when she rolled her eyes and shook her head at Sean's question.

"Sean," warned Katie, shooting him a glare. Sean smirked and laid back on the bed, now looking straight up at the ceiling. She turned to Charles. "I'm kind of tired, and since Miranda has the key to the room, I can't get in… I want to go to bed."

"Smart idea," Charles replied. He looked at Erik. "The earlier we leave, the sooner we get back to the CIA Base."

"And Moira," muttered Erik, rolling his eyes with a slight smirk.

Charles shot him a warning glare before looking back at the teenagers. "We'll be up pretty early tomorrow," he warned the two, though he seemed to be focusing more on Sean. "As soon as I finish beating Erik here, we should all be getting to bed."

"Keep dreaming, Charles," Erik replied immediately, shaking his head.

At that point, the door opened, though only Katie turned to look at it. She smiled. "Hi, Miranda," she greeted. She shot a look at Sean before rolling her eyes and hitting him in the ribs, drawing a yelp as he sat back up. "Sit up, Red."

"C'mon, Blondie, let me relax a little," muttered Sean, shooting her a look. She returned it with a smirk. However, Sean shot a smile toward Miranda a few seconds later. "Welcome back."

Miranda swallowed as she closed the door behind her, though she managed to return a smile to the teenagers. Erik was sitting with his back to her, and she hesitated for a second. Right now, she was freaking out beyond belief. She was furious. She was furious with herself for never knowing that her husband had been hiding such a big secret from her, that David had kept that secret in the first place, that the Agent had never told her, and with Daniel for keeping so many things from her during that meeting in Geneva.

"Erik, I need to talk to you," Miranda said, leaning against the wall as she took a deep breath.

Erik looked over at the sound of her voice, and then frowned quietly. There was a look on Miranda's face that told him something was completely wrong. She looked more vulnerable than he had seen her in years. Erik spared a quick glance towards the others, and saw the worried frown on Charles's face.

That wasn't a surprise. Charles was sensitive to when people were in pain, and the look that the telepath shot Erik told him that Miranda needed him right now. Erik glanced over towards the teenagers, and saw the confused looks on their faces. Sean was frowning slightly, and Katie's eyebrow was raised.

Erik stood up immediately and looked at Katie. "Take over for me," he told her gruffly before turning back around and heading out of the now opened door. Miranda followed, shooting a shaky look towards Charles before closing the door behind her.

For a moment, the three just sat there. Katie and Sean exchanged a look, both clueless about what could have affected Miranda in this way. Charles looked worried. After a few moments of silence, Katie finally jumped up and took Erik's place. She frowned down at the board before looking at Sean.

"Do you know anything about chess?" she asked after a few moments.

"Nope," Sean replied immediately, grinning cheerfully at her. "But it can't be that hard."

Charles smiled slightly, the tension in the room broken for now. "I think I'll enjoy this," he muttered, not planning in the least to go easy on them.

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><p>They had walked for a bit, away from Charles's prying mind and towards a picnic table on the grass not far from the hotel. Erik reached it first, and sat down on its top, watching Miranda carefully in the shadowed light. She stood in front of him, and then bit her lip before looking up.<p>

"I just talked to Moira," Miranda started after a few minutes of silence. She stared at the dark grass below the table, and Erik's worry heightened at her actions, even as her words registered in his mind.

"Are the others alright?" Erik asked quietly, his senses alert, knowing that for now they were completely alone.

Miranda nodded immediately. "They're fine." She shook her head before giving a shaky sigh. "I asked Moira to look up David in the CIA files while we were gone. I didn't expect her to find anything," she babbled, her hands starting to shake a bit. "Because seriously, what husband wouldn't tell his wife that he was a part of the God damn CIA as an agent, but of course, I have to be that-"

"Miranda, wait," Erik interrupted, staring at her in shock as he finally realized what she had said. "Slow down. Moira found a file on David?" He was just as surprised as she was. "He was a CIA agent?"

Miranda nodded, and then sat down next to her partner. Erik kept his eyes on her, watching her carefully for any sign that she was going to fall apart. She had never fallen apart completely. Erik and Miranda had argued constantly throughout their partnership. It was their way of life. Real, screaming fights had been rare, but they had happened. More than once one of them had stormed out of their hotel room only to return later that night, calmer and slightly drunk.

Those fights had been few and far between, but he remembered them well. One particular fight had ended with Miranda storming out of the hotel room and leaving him for almost two weeks. That had been France, he believed, right after her near drowning, though the fight had nothing to do with that incident. Erik had left France days later, but had not been surprised when he had walked into his hotel room in Portugal one night to find Miranda there, waiting, with a new lead.

But even in those fights, he had never seen her fall apart. He had seen her actually afraid a few times, usually near a large body of water, but right now, it was a combination of fear and stress that was pushing his partner to the breaking point. And it didn't matter what came in his way, Erik was going to support her in whatever happened right now. Seeing Miranda finally hit her breaking point was not something Erik wanted to see, not now nor ever.

Miranda nodded softly. "He was working with the Agent," Miranda replied. Her voice was shaky, and Erik just remained silent. "Moira found a file under David Holloway… we came up with a theory. We know Daniel is a mutant. We think David was, too, and when Shaw found out that a CIA agent was a mutant, he went to find him. David refused to help Shaw, so he got killed." She gave a bitter scoff. "We both know what happens after that."

Erik nodded. "How do you feel about this?" he asked, watching her face carefully.

Miranda buried her hands in her face. "How am I supposed to feel?" her muffled voice asked. "My husband kept this huge secret from me, a secret that got him killed!"

"He wanted to protect you."

"I don't need protecting, Erik," Miranda replied sharply, raising her head and glaring at him with surprising anger. "I thought I would have proved that by now."

Erik stopped for a moment, if only to think of a way to explain this to her. He didn't want to deal with his partner flipping out again, not when it seemed as though she had finally let go the fact that he had almost left her.

"You're not the same person you were when you married David," Erik explained gently. Miranda went still, and Erik knew that he was finally getting through to her. "When David died, you changed. You became stronger because you still had something to live for. You wanted to find Shaw and take him out for David. That pain made you grow stronger, Miranda. You might have needed protecting back then… but after David's death? Now? You don't need it as much."

"You still insist on doing it," Miranda muttered, running a hand through her now matted brown curls.

"Insist on what?"

"Protecting me."

"I do not."

"Erik, you absolutely do!"

"When have I ever protected you from anything?"

"Argentina. Spain. France, when the guy slapped me… God, Erik, the only other time I've seen you that angry is when Shaw comes up in conversation." Miranda looked at him, and to Erik's intense relief, she looked much calmer than she had a few minutes ago.

Erik looked at her, scowling slightly as the unpleasant memory flew through his mind. "Yes, Miranda. I was really going to let a drunk Frenchman hit you and get away with it."

Miranda smiled fondly, glad to be off the topic of Daniel and the CIA. "That was a fun night. Except for the whole near drowning experience later on…" She shot a glare towards her partner, but the teasing glint was detectable from a mile away.

"You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Never."

Erik watched her for a second before asking, "Are you still angry?"

"At you?" Miranda asked, frowning slightly. "Nah. You came out here without any questions. I'm over being mad at you." Her green eyes narrowed dangerously at him. "If you try and leave me again, though…"

"I'm not planning on it," Erik assured her. He chuckled slightly, but his expression quickly turned serious. "And while I'm glad you're not angry at me anymore, that's not what I mean. I mean are you angry with David?"

Miranda stiffened instantly, and the walls that had been broken down in the past few minutes flew back up. "I'm not mad at David," she replied darkly.

"You are," Erik replied, frowning at her. She glared a silent warning at him, but he plowed on, knowing that she would need to confront this sooner or later. "You're furious at him for keeping that secret at him, you're angry at Daniel for not telling you what he knew-"

"We don't know if Daniel knows anything," Miranda replied sharply.

Erik's scowl deepened. "Shaw wouldn't have taken him if he didn't know something, even if his powers were useful." Miranda went silent at Erik's words, and he continued, "I'll bet that you're angry at the Agent for not telling you what he knew, what David was doing with him." He looked at her before taking her hand and squeezing it. She didn't respond. "You're angry, and you have a right to be. But for right now… let it go. We have two teenaged mutants who are scared to death, despite the fact that they're putting up a strong front, and we have a whole bunch more just like them where we're going."

"Am I supposed to just forget about it all, then?" Miranda demanded, not looking at Erik. Her green eyes appeared to be slightly brighter than usual.

"No," Erik replied instantly. "That's not fair to you. Focus on helping the mutants. Focus on helping Sean and Katie. On helping Alex, Caroline, Angel, Armando… even Hank and Raven. Focus on them for now, and then come back to this when you get the chance."

Miranda nodded, her shoulders relaxing as she calmed down. "Alright," she murmured. She glanced back towards the hotel. "We should probably go back." She hesitated. "Thanks, Erik."

"Anytime."

With a deep sigh, Erik stood up, holding his hand out to Miranda. She didn't hesitate to take it, and he pulled her back towards the motel after she had stood up. They were back at the door of the boys' motel room a few moments later, and it was only when they were there that Erik let go of Miranda's hand.

They both stood there for a moment, and then Erik turned to Miranda. "We're leaving early tomorrow," he told her gently. "It might be wise to get Katie and just get some sleep. You'll be calmer in the morning."

Miranda chuckled. "Sounds fine to me," she murmured. For a moment, she hesitated, and Erik frowned as he wondered what was wrong now. A few seconds later, he got his answer.

Miranda glanced at the door for a second. A determined look slowly came over her face. "You know what?" she muttered suddenly, a reckless edge coming over her voice.

Before Erik could reply, Miranda reached up quickly, standing on her toes in order to reach his face. He wasn't able to react as she pecked him on the cheek, pulling back a second later with a soft, satisfied smile on her face. As Erik stood there, watching her in shock, Miranda opened the door.

"Katie, c'mon, we're going to bed," she called in, smiling warmly at the three mutants in the room. "See you in the morning, Sean, Charles." She turned to Erik, the soft smile still in place on her face. "Night, Erik."

She walked away a second later, not looking back once. Katie came out of the room a second later, smiling quietly at Erik before jogging back to where Miranda was opening the door to their motel room. A second later, both female mutants were in the room. Erik could hear the click as the lock of the door was set, and then finally walked back into his own motel room, his surprise finally disappearing somewhat.

As he looked towards Charles and Sean, Erik immediately realized that leaving Katie in charge of playing against Charles, rather than Sean, had been a smart idea. Sean was frowning down at the chessboard with a confused look on his face, and Charles looked distinctly unhappy.

Charles scowled. "Unfortunately, Katie is better at chess that she appears," he muttered, glaring down at the numerous white pieces resting on what had been Katie's side. Both kings still were on the board. He frowned at Erik. "Did something happen right there?" After a few moments, a knowing look came over Charles's face, following by a smirk. "Ah."

Sean frowned. "What happened?" he asked, looking from Erik to Charles.

Erik looked directly at Sean, ignoring the knowing smirk on Charles's face. "Women do not make sense," he warned the red-head. "Never let anyone tell you otherwise."

Sean rolled his eyes. "Tell me something I don't know."


	14. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** So, the fluff parade continues. We get more Erik/Miranda development. Things are going to change between the two of them, fast, but whether it's for the better or worse has yet to be seen. It's not going to be all rainbows and puppies. They're going to work for what they get. XD On the other side, though... this is by far the longest chapter so far of _Turning Tables_. It's nearly 5000 words, so that's why it took so long to figure out.

But yeah. I don't own X-Men. :( It depresses me to say that each chapter, but I have to. I do, however, own my OC characters. That makes me slightly happy, because it does seem like so far you guys like my OC characters.

The poll is still up, and will be up for a few more days. I hope to get a new poll up sooner or later, so keep checking my profile to see what happens.

But first, I need to say how grateful I am to you guys for reviewing this so much. I'm amazed at the support I've gotten, and I appreciate it so much. It's you guys that are keeping this story going on, and I'm grateful to you guys for that. Please continue to leave reviews, because hearing from you guys is one of the best parts of this story. But thank you all for making this a joy to write.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 13<em>

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><p><em>CIA Research Base, Virginia<br>__1962_

Moira was cranky that morning. She had been up all night trying to find more information about David, with only limited data to go on in the first place. She had been feeling guilty about letting Miranda know, over phone, about her husband's secret life. But Moira had put herself in Miranda's shoes for a moment. She would have wanted to know right away, and while she knew that she had done the right thing, she had still worried about the brunette mutant most of the night.

Her crankiness had only grown when she had been awakened to a phone call at 5 in the morning. Moira stumbled out of bed quickly, silently vowing to murder whoever was calling her so early in the morning. She grabbed the phone.

"Hello?" she grumbled out.

"Moira, it's Erik."

Moira was awake instantly. Her brown eyes widened when she heard the now familiar, gruff voice of Miranda's partner. "Erik, is everything alright?" she asked instantly. "Are Charles and Miranda alright? The two mutants… Sean and Katie?"

"They're fine," Erik replied. His voice sounded more gruff than usual. "Sean and Katie are asleep in the car, Miranda is getting a few snacks for the road, and Charles is packing the last of the bags."

"Why are you calling then?"

"Miranda."

Guilt instantly exploded in Moira's gut. "I wish I could have told her when she came here," she admitted quietly. "But… from what I've figured out about her, I think she would have wanted to find out right away, like she did."

"She appreciates you doing that," Erik assured her. He sighed. "She can't come back yet."

"What?" Moira asked, confused. She frowned as she ran a hand through her brown hair.

"Moira, she needs a little time to process everything she found out last night."

"We don't have time!" Moira burst out, brown eyes wide as she ran her hand through her hair anxiously. We're getting intelligence about where Shaw might be now, and as soon as we get confirmation, I'll be money they'll send us out." She sighed. "The meeting is tonight, Erik. We'll find out tonight."

"If she gets down there now, she's going to completely flip out on the Agent." Erik's voice took a harder edge. "And I can promise you, if she fights Shaw now, she won't make it. She's distracted, and she is not going to go into a battle the way she is now."

Moira thought for a moment before realizing that Miranda actually would flip out on the Agent if she was given the chance. From what she had gathered, the Agent must have known about Miranda, let alone have recognized her when he had seen her. She also didn't want to be responsible for that death, not when Shaw's death meant so much to Erik and Miranda. "I thought you talked to her."

"I did." Moira had a feeling that Erik was rolling his eyes, not at her, but at Miranda, wherever she may be. "I didn't say that she listened."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Moira asked. She glanced at the phone as silence came over.

"We all meet up in DC. We'll call it a team bonding experience. Moira, I know Miranda. She doesn't know them well, but she cares about these kids. She cares about helping them. She'll want to do this. We just have to pretend that it was your idea and I didn't have anything to do with it."

"That's not a bad idea, actually," Moira admitted, thinking the plan over in her head.

"You'll find that I can think one up every now and again." Erik sounded slightly smug. "So, you're in?"

"We'll have them up there by noon," Moira replied. She glanced at the table across the room, where an outfit already laid waiting. If she got them up soon, all the others would be able to get ready in time for them to get to DC. "Think you can make it there by then?"

"Absolutely." Erik's voice was firm. "Remember. She never finds out I suggested this."

"If you're sure, Erik," Moira replied. She sighed. "She'd appreciate you doing this, you know."

"Trust me, I am," Erik said, his voice slightly quiet. He was silent for a few moments before adding, "Just be there."

"We will. See you all then."

With that, both hung up. Moira sighed quietly to herself. He might deny it most times, but Erik cared for Miranda a lot more than he ever let on. He was concerned enough about her enough to call Moira and ask if it was possible that they took a slight detour to give Miranda a chance to clear her head. If that wasn't caring, Moira didn't know what was.

Moira sighed. Somehow, the idea of bringing a bunch of mutants, none of them over the age of twenty-five, into the city did not seem to be such a bright one.

Oh, well. At least it would be entertaining.

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><p><em>Washington, DC<br>__1962_

"We lost the kids."

"We did not lose the kids."

"Alright, then, Miranda, where are the kids?"

"…Charles and Erik are going to kill us."

"No, Erik is going to kill you. Taking them away from him and Charles was your idea."

Miranda sighed as the truth of Moira's words sunk in. "Unfortunately, I can't deny that," she sighed, glancing at the Washington Monument above them. She sighed again, running her hand through her brown curls as she considered the situation. "They couldn't have gone far…"

Back when she and Moira had decided to take the kids to the Washington Memorial, it had seemed like a good idea. Erik and Charles had decided to play chess on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, for whatever reason, and Moira and Miranda had decided to bring the group along for a walk to encourage bonding between them. It had gone well. Until the whole group of eight mutants had given them the slip.

"DC is a big place," Moira reminded her. She looked around, her brow creased in worry. There were a number of families with small children around, but there was no sign of the group of teenaged that they were looking for. "There's a lot places they could go."

"If we don't find them in an hour, we go get Erik and Charles," Miranda replied, glancing around. She shook her head before running a hand through her brown curls. "I swear I'm going to kill Sean, I know he had the idea for this… him or Alex." Her eyes narrowed. "Or, most likely, both of them, plus Darwin!"

"What makes you so sure?" Moira asked, frowning slightly.

Miranda sighed. "Because I saw the looks they shot each other. Brothers in chaos." At Moira's questioning look, Miranda gave a nostalgic smile. "Whenever they were in the same room, David and Daniel would shoot the same looks to each other. They drove me nuts together."

Moira chuckled slightly, and then seized the opening to ask the question she had been wanting to since they had all met up an hour earlier. "How are you doing?" she asked gently. She frowned as she looked down a pathway. "We can walk and look around." She took another good look at Miranda. "And please… answer honestly."

Miranda nodded slightly, silent as she contemplated Moira's question. They had been walking for a few minutes before she managed to answer. "I think I'm alright," Miranda stated quietly.

The car ride hadn't been completely peaceful. Sean and Katie seemed to be able to argue with each other over every little thing, reminding Miranda too much of herself and Erik for her own comfort. Charles had gotten them lost twice, causing Erik to lose his patience. The Nazi hunter had eventually commandeered the vehicle from Charles, forcing him into the back seat with the teenagers and Miranda up front with him.

For some reason, Sean and Katie had found this hilarious. As they had continued to laugh at Charles, Miranda had thought about what she had learned. She had thought about David, of the meetings that he had told her about. Of the business trips to Richmond that she never heard any details about.

It some ways, it made sense that he had been a CIA agent. Now, she actually understood her husband a bit more. She was still furious for him never telling her. But she could understand the reasons.

Miranda knew that she and Daniel were going to have a very serious talk as soon as they found him. She had realized that Erik was right during the night. Shaw would not have taken Daniel for just his powers. He had to know something further about David's murder. What that was, however, was not something she could figure out. She would have to wait to find her brother-in-law, and then flip out on him for never telling her.

She was going to have a talk with the Agent later on. If he had known who she was, Miranda wanted to find out why he had never mentioned anything to her. But for now, while they were down in DC, Miranda could focus on the kids. Erik was right. Focusing on the kids was the best thing that she could do for right now.

Breaking away from her thoughts, Miranda shot a grateful smile to Moira. "Being able to come down here and clear my head helped a lot. Thanks, Moira."

"Anytime," Moira replied, feeling slightly guilty. Erik should be the one getting the credit for this, not her. But Moira wouldn't go against his wishes, even though she knew that it was stupid he didn't receive the credit he deserved.

"It was great seeing them just meet each other," Miranda continued, glancing around everywhere for any sign of their group of recruits. "I mean… they're finally just getting the fact that they're not alone. It took me awhile to get used to it, when I met Erik… but it felt amazing, knowing I wasn't alone."

Moira nodded softly. She knew that she would never understand how mutants felt. She wasn't a mutant, she was only human. She knew that she was lucky in some respects. Moira had never been forced to hide who she was from the world. She had never felt like she was the only freak in the world. She had never felt the relief of knowing that she wasn't alone.

It was bittersweet, really.

Moira had seen the camaraderie between all of them. While Erik, Miranda, and Charles had been getting the two Boston teenagers, the other mutants had bonded. Angel, Caroline, and Raven had often been seen giggling with each other. Armando and Alex had already developed a good friendship that was usually grown during their pinball tournaments on the machine in the corner of their lounge. Hank and Caroline had developed something of a kinship, and they all seemed to get well enough.

She had even seen that camaraderie when they had all met up about an hour ago. Sean and Katie had immediately been welcomed into the group. Within minutes, Katie had been laughing with the girls, and, if Moira had to guess, Sean had been scheming with Armando and Alex. Hank even seemed to be more comfortable.

At best, Moira knew she would always be an outsider.

"You know, we appreciate you," Miranda said out of the blue.

Moira frowned at her. "What?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

Miranda chuckled. "We appreciate you being here," she explained, shooting a grateful smile towards the CIA agent. "You and the Agent… you're kind of our hope."

"A hope for what?" Moira asked, a frown of confusion on her face.

"That someday we won't have to hide who we are," Miranda explained. She stopped on the path, and then looked around on the grass. She looked at the families looking up at the Monument above them, and Moira saw her gaze focus on a brown-haired couple with a little boy. "That someday, when we have kids, they can grow up in a world where having powers isn't something that needs to be kept secret."

"Someday, that'll happen," Moira murmured. She looked at the little boy, who was giggling as his father tickled him. His mother sat laughing, watching the scene with love in her eyes. She hesitated, and then looked at Miranda. "You're thinking about him, aren't you? Your baby?"

Miranda hesitated before nodding. Charles and Moira were among the only two who knew about her miscarriage years ago. Erik had known. He had been the first person outside of her and David's family to ever know. It was something painful that she didn't like to think about. None of the kids knew that. Not even Raven, who was slowly becoming the baby sister Miranda had never had.

"It was a boy," Miranda said quietly. Her gaze was on the brunette little boy as she spoke. "I was only about two months along when I miscarried… but I knew even then. David and I had a name picked out…" She stopped for a second, and gave a rough swallow before continuing, "We were going to name him Colin Daniel Holloway."

"After Daniel?" Moira asked, watching Miranda carefully with sympathy in her eyes.

Miranda nodded. "Partially. We had a teacher at our high school, Mr. Collins. We both loved him. He was the best teacher either of us had ever had," she explained. She smiled. "He inspired me to become a teacher." She frowned at the surprised look on Moira's face. "I didn't mention that I used to teach third grade?"

"No," Moira replied, blinking in surprise. She smiled slightly. "Though now it makes more sense."

"What?"

"How you're able to deal with the antics of the kids without completely flipping out on them. You have the patience of a teacher."

Miranda and Moira continued down the path, still no sign of the teenaged mutants. "Mr. Collins died a month after David and I married. Heart attack. We wanted to honor him," Miranda mentioned. She smiled quietly. "I was excited. I loved the name… it was honoring two of the most important men in my life."

"That's sweet," Moira replied. She swallowed heavily before squeezing Miranda's shoulder. "Look, I can't say anything that makes it better," she told her. Moira gave her a smile. "But I do appreciate the fact that you feel as though you can tell me that. I won't tell anyone else."

Miranda grinned. "My awesome CIA friend, who won't tell my secrets," the brunette mutant replied, beaming in gratitude at her. "Thank goodness for you." She looked away from the family, and then frowned. "We're not going to find them. Time to go to Erik and Charles."

Moira nodded lightly. "You're telling them that we lost them," she warned Miranda, a teasing smile on her face.

Miranda's face fell. "Fine. But when Erik does kill me, you have to organize my funeral."

Moira laughed. "Deal."

* * *

><p>"Okay, we've got the water balloons, right?"<p>

Sean grinned cheerfully as he held up a scarlet balloon completely filled with water. "Yep!" he exclaimed cheerfully, directing his grin down to the balloon. He shot a look over to Armando. "Seriously, Armando, how did you get these so fast?"

"Darwin," the former cab driver corrected, shooting a mock glare towards the red-head. Darwin smirked slightly as he looked down at his own maroon water balloon. "And I have my ways."

From their hiding space not far away from the Lincoln Memorial, Caroline shifted uncomfortably. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked Darwin, glancing towards where they could see Erik and Charles in the distance. "I mean, we're going after Moira and Miranda, too, and isn't Miranda afraid of water?"

"She is?" Darwin asked. He looked down at the water balloons with a frown. "But she's gotten bathed and stuff…"

A few feet away, Raven waved her hand, dismissing their concern. "She's only terrified when there are big bodies of water," she explained. She pointed at the large pool of water nearby. "As long as we don't push her in there, she's going to be absolutely fine." She smirked. "And if she does fall in, then Operation Hanson-Lensherr gets ahead of schedule."

Caroline sighed worriedly. "Sometimes, you worry me," she told Raven in a completely calm voice.

Raven raised an eyebrow at her. "You've known me for a week. Maybe."

"Unfortunately, we've been spending so much time with each other that it's more like ten weeks." Caroline sighed before shooting a look at Raven. "And don't pretend that I don't have a point here."

Raven grinned cheerfully. "Oh, you do, don't worry." She looked over at Darwin. "We get to go after Charles, right?"

"Charles and Moira," corrected Sean. He frowned before looking over at Darwin. "Wait a minute, why can't we attack Erik and Miranda?"

"Because Team 2 is taking care of them," explained Caroline, grabbing a pink water balloon from the metal bucket nearby. She looked it over before glancing back at Darwin. "Where are they, anyway?"

"Nearby," Darwin replied. "Not sure exactly where. But they'll be ready. They're going after Erik and Miranda whenever the girls show up…" He frowned as he looked across the pool of water, spotting two heads of blond hair. "Is it me, or do Katie and Alex get along too well for comfort?"

"What do you mean?" Raven asked, glancing at Sean, who had frowned.

"It looks as though they've taken over leadership of that group… hey, they actually got Hank to get a balloon!" He grinned. "And Angel's got one…" He looked over towards the steps, and his eyes widened when he saw two females approaching the chess-playing mutants, who still had not noticed them. "There they are! Sean, give the signal in a minute!"

"Wait, what's the signal?"

"You weren't paying attention!"

"No!"

"He was too busy staring at Katie."

"Shut it, Caroline!"

"How are we supposed to launch our attack on them now?"

Raven sighed heavily. "We're never going to get anything done in this group," she said, accepting the fact as something that she could not change no matter how hard she might try.

* * *

><p>Miranda wasn't surprised in the least to find Charles and Erik playing chess when she and Moira finally reached the memorial. "Who's winning?" she asked as she sat down next to Erik, shooting him a quick smile before looking back at the game. Moira sat a step above them, a bit closer to Charles than Erik.<p>

"Me," both men replied at once. Two pairs of blue eyes glared at each other, and Miranda chuckled as Moira rolled her eyes.

Erik glanced over to Miranda for a second. Green and blue eyes met, and held each other's gaze for a minute before returning back to the chessboard. They hadn't mentioned last night to anyone. Erik knew that Charles held suspicions about last night. Actually, knowing Charles, he probably knew exactly what had happened between the two. Erik didn't want to talk about it right now.

He knew sooner or later, he was going to have to say something. But for right now, he was just going to focus on making sure that Miranda was alright and calm, ready to do what they had to.

He was not going to focus on the fact that she had kissed him.

Charles frowned suddenly before looking at the brunette women. "Wait a minute," he said, looking around, as if hoping to find what he was looking for hiding behind a pillar. "Where are the others?"

Miranda smiled cheerfully. "Now, there lies the problem…" she began, not looking at Erik. She kept her gaze on Charles, who she knew was less likely to kill her for losing their mutants on their first day together as a team. But then again, Miranda hadn't just lost the team, she had also lost Raven. Charles would probably kill her for that.

Erik rolled his eyes as he moved his bishop up. "You lost them?" he asked dryly, not sounding surprised in the least. As Miranda shot him a guilty look, he looked at Charles. "I told you that it would be less than an hour that they'd run off."

Charles sighed. "Well, they've got Hank with them," he said, looking around hoping to see a sign of them. "At least he has something that resembles common sense."

"Darwin and Caroline do, too," Moira mentioned, frowning a bit. "More so than the others, anyway."

"Let's just remember one thing. Alex and Sean are with them," Erik replied, frowning at each of the others in turn.

All four froze for a minute as they thought of the chaos that could potentially be released by the two. The two boys hadn't even known each other for a day yet, and it was already obvious that the two were partners in mischief that were only going to drive the four team leaders crazier than originally thought possible.

"We've got to find them," Miranda decided, standing up. "They're going to something stupid that we'll have to clean up if we don't find them soon." She looked at Charles. "Do you think you can find them telepathically-"

Charles's hand went to his head as his eyes closed. "I can try, but I can't guarantee-"

"NOW!"

What happened next was not what anyone expected. A number of orbs, in different colors, came flying towards them, breaking apart on impact and soaking their clothes in water. Miranda stumbled back in surprise as a balloon hit her, knocking her down and into Erik's lap. His arm went around her waist instinctively as he stood up, pulling her with him.

A moment later, they seemed to realize what had happened. The four just stared at each other for a moment. Each was soaking wet. Charles had a piece of scarlet rubber on his shoulder, and Moira did not look happy in the least. Miranda was soaking wet and still held against Erik.

After a moment, both Erik and Miranda seemed to realize the position they were in. They jumped apart before shooting each other an unreadable glance.

"Sean?" Moira asked, her voice surprisingly calm when one considered the murder in her eyes.

"Sean," confirmed Charles rather calmly, picking the piece of rubber off of his shoulder and slipping it into his pocket.

"Sean," muttered Erik, looking rather annoyed as he looked down at his soaked clothing.

"Sean!" bellowed Miranda, turning towards where she was sure the water balloons had come from.

"Alex did it!" came a voice not far away.

"Sean, I'm going to kill you!" The second voice was definitely Alex's, and seemed to come to the other side of the pool.

"Stop talking!" yelled another voice that was immediately recognizable as Darwin. "Keep firing!"

Darwin's words had not even been out of his mouth before the four made a break for the pillars. Another water balloon hit Miranda on her back, causing her to squeal and trip forward. As Charles and Moira made it behind the pillars, Erik stopped and caught Miranda before she could fall to the ground.

Miranda blinked in surprise as Erik grabbed her hand and pulled her to where Charles and Moira were taking cover. The water balloon barrage seemed to have stopped, though the four could distinctly hear Sean yelling out 'cowards' every few seconds. Moira seemed torn between amusement and exasperation. Charles seemed to be amused and even a bit thrilled. Erik just looked annoyed, and Miranda looked like she wanted to kill something… or rather, one of the mutants who had just attacked them with water balloons.

"Water balloons. Our own team is attacking us with water balloons," Erik muttered quietly. He shook his head as he looked over at Charles. "The loyalty they have for us is amazing, really."

Charles beamed. "But on the plus side, I believe Katie is using her powers to help speed up and increase the power of those water balloons," he replied cheerfully, looking at each of their soaked clothes in turn. "Although I can't figure out whether it's consciously or unconsciously…"

"Leave it for later, Charles!" Moira interrupted. She looked at the other three. "What are we going to do?"

Erik smirked as he waved his hand carefully. A few seconds later, cries of protest rang out from where it seemed Sean's group was camped out. A few seconds later, a metal bucket, still half-filled with water balloons, floated over to them, landing in the middle of the four. Charles and Miranda exchanged a mischievous grin, and Moira raised her eyebrow at Erik, a bit impressed despite herself.

Erik smirked at Moira. "We're going to fight fire with fire," he explained.

"Water with water," corrected Charles, pulling out a balloon and handing it to a now smirking Moira.

Miranda grinned. "This is going to be fun," she murmured, picking up two of her own. She looked at each of them in turn. "Whoever gets hit the most drives Sean and Alex back. In the same car." She made a move to walk out, but Erik stopped her, holding out an arm to keep her from leaving.

Charles grinned over at Moira before gesturing her out. "Let's go," he said cheerfully, taking her hand and pulling her out. A moment later, Erik and Miranda could hear screams and laughter as Charles and Moira joined the water balloon fray, which seemed to have turned into a fight between Sean's team and Alex's team.

Miranda frowned up at Erik. "Something wrong?" she asked, cocking her head up at him.

"Look, last night…" Erik started, unsure of how he was supposed to say something. He had been thinking about it all day now, in the back of his mind, and while he still wasn't sure what he wanted to do with what had happened, he knew he had to try something right now, if only to see her reaction to it. Her reaction would give him a clue to whether or not it was a real possibility or just some strange dream that was never meant to last.

He had to try, at least.

Miranda winced. "I might have overreacted," she admitted, shooting her partner an apologetic look. "I know that wasn't a good idea-" She stopped as Erik chuckled, and waited for him to say something. To her surprise, he didn't say anything.

Instead, Erik leaned down and kissed her.

Today seemed to be the day for the unexpected. Miranda had not expected to go down to DC for what Erik had called a 'team bonding day' that Moira had thought up. She had not expected to lose their group of mutants only to find out that they had decided to attack her, Erik, Charles, and Moira with water balloons.

And now, Erik was kissing her.

This was definitely one of those unexpected days.

It wasn't a deep kiss at all. It had been surprise, not passion, that had caused Miranda to drop both of the water balloons in her hands. It wasn't a kiss from a romance movie. It was the first kiss between two people who had been friends and partners for years, but now were confronting the reality that they could be something more. It was short and quick, and yet, it was everything that Miranda could have hoped that it would be. It only lasted a few moments before Erik pulled out. Miranda's eyes opened, and she stared in amazement at Erik, unable to say anything. She had been shocked speechless for the first time in her life.

Erik chuckled down at her expression. "Well, now the tables have turned, haven't they?" he murmured, shooting a genuine smile down at her. She didn't reply as he turned around and walked to where Charles and Moira had gone moments before, the metal bucket floating into his hand as he left.

Miranda just stared at his retreating back for a second, ignoring the laughter and screams that signaled Erik's arrival onto the battlefield. "I swear, Erik Lensherr, you are going to be the death of me," she stated calmly.

With a slight smile on her face, she rejoined the fray, now with more on her mind than ever before.


	15. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** So yeah, this weekend was weird. Work was horrible, mostly because I got trapped in the freezer. It has one of those anti-locks inside, but I couldn't get it undone, so I was completely freaking out for a few minutes... and then I realized I was wearing a radio. But it gets better. No one believed me when I said I was trapped in the freezer, so it took three times of calling out over the radio for someone to help before they finally got me out. But of course, my boss still thinks that I was kidding around.

Ugh. There are so many times I wish I could quit that stupid job... and then I have an awesome day and remember why I have it in the first place.

But that's only part of the reason why this is late. Stupid school is beating me down, so updates will not stop, but will be a bit delayed. I can't keep doing the every day thing, so it'll be more like every other day, but on Wednesday expect at least one chapter, maybe two, because we have my school has a teacher service day for no apparent reason. Go figure. My school is weird.

I don't own X-Men. I wish I did though, because I just watched a few episodes of _Wolverine and the X-Men_ the other day, and despite my eternal frustrations with Wolverine, it's good. Bobby is adorable in it, it's probably one of the two places where I actually like Emma (_X-Men: Destiny's_ universe being the other), and Magneto just kicks butt in it. I would love to have owned that show; we totally would have gotten a second season.

Please keep reviewing, guys. I'm thrilled with what I have so far. You guys are the reason I'm still writing this story, and I hope you'll keep sticking with it throughout the rest of it. But also, please go and vote for the poll. It'll only be up for a few more days, so vote while you can. :) Thanks to those who have voted already, though. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 14<em>

* * *

><p><em>CIA Research Base, Virginia<br>__1962_

"Were you planning on telling me?"

The Agent had been expecting this conversation for awhile. He had recognized Miranda after hearing her story, back on the boat when they had first met. The Agent had a lot of regrets in his life. Leaving David in harm's way was one of them. Because the Agent had not pressed the matter of David's protection further, David had died. David's son had died.

David's wife, however, had survived.

The Agent sighed as he looked up at Miranda, who stood in the doorway, now in dry clothing, compared to the soaking wet outfit she had came back to the base in. He still didn't know why the mutants and Moira had come back soaking wet. Miranda had a good sense of timing, at any length. In a few minutes, he would be heading to a meeting regarding the mutants' involvement in their latest trail to Shaw. She must have known. She had been talking with Moira quite often, and the Agent had no doubt that the female CIA agent had warned Miranda to speak to him now.

"I don't know," he admitted. He gestured for her to shut the door, which she did. As she sat down, he bit the inside of his cheek, trying to figure out a way he could break this to her. "I didn't know how much David had told you before he died."

"Nothing," Miranda replied. Her hand gripped her knee tightly, and she looked directly at the Agent as she repeated, her voice stronger, "David told me nothing about being a CIA agent." She paused. "That's why he was killed, wasn't he?"

The Agent shook his head. "The only one who knows why David was killed is his killer," he replied, thinking back to that night. He had gotten a phone call only a few hours after it had happened, and over that call, he had learned that David's younger brother had found him dead and his wife nearly dead. That phone call had been shocking. One of his biggest allies had been murdered only hours after the Agent had last seen him. "But I think that would be a reasonable explanation."

Miranda sighed before glancing out the window. Even though it was dark out, she could still see Cerebro in the distance. "Was he mutant?" she asked quietly.

The Agent hesitated. "He never came right out and told me he was mutant," he explained after a few moments of thoughts. "But he always seemed to know things. He knew what I was thinking… I deal with facts, Miranda, but if you wanted me to give you my best guess… I would say that David was like Charles."

"A telepath?" asked Miranda, staring in actual surprise at the Agent. She thought for a moment before frowning. "You know, that would actually make sense… but why wouldn't he just realize that I was a mutant?"

"He didn't flaunt it," the Agent replied. He sighed. "He didn't mention it often. I always thought he was almost… hiding them. He used them once and awhile… but I don't know why. I'll never pretend that I completely understood David."

Miranda smiled nostalgically. "Sounds like my husband," she muttered dryly, shaking her head.

"He was a good man," the Agent replied. He took a good look at the brunette woman, remembering the little that David had told him years ago. David had cared deeply about his wife, and it had hurt him to never tell her the truth about what he did. The least he could do now was let her know what she wanted to. "He helped to put together the beginnings of this facility. I don't think we would be here if not for him."

"I thought you didn't know mutants until you met Charles and Raven," Miranda mentioned, frowning slightly in confusion.

"My suspicions about David were what started my serious studies into mutants," explained the Agent. He smiled quietly. "When I told David my suspicions, he never confirmed or denied them. He always just smiled-"

"Like he knew something that you didn't," finished Miranda, chuckling quietly to herself. "I was on the receiving end of that look a lot."

"He loved you," the Agent said quietly. "We didn't speak of personal lives often… but when we did, he always spoke of you highly."

Miranda nodded quietly, and the glanced on the black clock sitting on the wall. "You better head to your meeting," she replied quietly, her voice quiet. She bit the inside of her cheek before adding, "Thank you. I do appreciate this more than you could ever know."

The Agent nodded back at her. "It's not a problem."

Miranda smiled quietly before standing up and walking out, not looking back.

* * *

><p>"So, you and Erik…"<p>

Only a few minutes after her short talk with the Agent, Miranda glared at Charles. She had followed the Agent to the meeting room, fully prepared to wait outside. She had not been surprised to find Charles already there. If she had to guess, Erik would be there soon enough as well.

"What about me and Erik?" Miranda asked, raising an eyebrow at the brunette telepath.

The cheeky smile on Charles's face made Miranda slightly uneasy. "Something happened between the two of you, correct?" he asked. Miranda continued to glare at him in a way that reminded him of Raven, and yet, Charles pressed on. "Erik came into the room last night claiming to Sean that women do not make sense. Which, I admit, is true-"

"Yes, because men totally make much more sense," Miranda retorted, sarcasm oozing off her words.

"Well, humans in generally do not make sense," corrected Charles. His words seemed to placate Miranda, and he added, "So, just out of curiosity, who made the first move out of you two?"

Miranda just stared at him for a few moments. "Were you reading our minds?" she demanded, hurrying to put the topic of discussion on anything other than her and Erik's increasingly complicated relationship. "Charles, if you were reading my mind…"

"I wasn't," Charles assured her immediately, his hands going into the air in a gesture of surrender. "You and Erik are my friends, Miranda, and I wouldn't invade your privacy like that. I have more respect for you both."

"Then how did you know?" Miranda asked. Her green eyes were a bit brighter than usual, and Charles recognized the look of a cornered woman.

"Miranda, I've known you and Erik for a bit over a week now," Charles replied. He glanced over at the door where Moira's meeting was taking place, and then turned back to Miranda. "I know that in reality, it's not actually that long. But with the work that we're doing…"

"We get close fast," finished Miranda. She nodded sagely. "I noticed that with the kids. Alex and Sean are already acting as if they've known each other all of their lives. The girls are already acting like sisters. Do not tell her I said this, but Raven is like a baby sister now, and I can honestly say Moira is becoming one of my best friends."

Charles nodded softly. "This is life and death we're dealing with. Freedom and slavery. We're all mutants together, and we bond quickly because of that. Moira is involved because she's willing to accept us, and we accept her."

"The normal one in a pack of freaks," muttered Miranda, smiling slightly.

Charles chuckled. "Exactly." He looked at Miranda. "How long did it take you and Erik to finally begin to completely trust each other?"

"A few months," Miranda replied, thinking it over in her head. She sighed. "It was different, though. For the first few months, we were partners. After that, we became friends. And now…"

"You don't know what you are," Charles murmured softly. He sighed. "If you want to talk about, I'm not going to judge you. I won't tell Erik about what we speak about. I won't tell anyone, Miranda. I'll keep your confidence."

Miranda hesitated. On one hand, she was so confused about her feelings towards Erik that she didn't know what to do. On the other hand, hearing someone else's opinion on this might actually help her. For crying out loud, she had kissed Erik yesterday. He had kissed her today. Now, there was an actual chance that Erik was interested in her, and she had given hints she was interested in him.

What did she have to lose?

"I kissed Erik last night," she admitted.

"I thought as much," Charles murmured, nodding once. "Before or after your talk with him?"

"After," Miranda replied, leaning her head against the wall. She swallowed before turning back to Charles. "Moira told you about David being a CIA agent?" At Charles's surprised look, Miranda explained, "I told her that she could tell you. I was still trying to process everything… and Erik helped with that a lot. Today helped with that a lot."

Charles bit his lip. "Forgive me for this… but do you ever wonder if you're…"

"Betraying David by even thinking about a relationship with Erik?" finished Miranda, her voice more defeated than Charles had ever heard before. She nodded hesitantly. "A lot of times, actually. But now? I don't know anymore, Charles, and it… it's complicated. We're the closest we've ever been to Shaw, we have kids to worry about - even though technically only two of them aren't legal adults - and… it's not a good time, Charles."

"Forgive me for my bluntness," Charles said quietly. He raised an eyebrow at his friend before replying, "But you're never going to know if you don't try. For all you know, this is your second chance at a happy relationship."

"What if it doesn't work out?" Miranda asked. She looked at Charles, green eyes meeting blue, before she whispered, "What if it goes wrong?"

Charles merely smiled. "What if it does work out?" he countered, watching as Miranda's face fell a bit, clearly thinking about his words deeply. "What if it goes right?" Miranda looked down at the ground, biting the inside of her cheek. Charles squeezed her shoulder before adding, "Some things are worth the risk, Miranda. This might be one of them."

Miranda shook her head, unwilling to let it go. "Alright, then, what if he doesn't feel the same way?" she asked, turning to Charles, actually speaking of a fear that she hadn't acknowledged before.

Charles raised an eyebrow. "Miranda, if he didn't feel something for you, then he wouldn't have glared at me as much as he has in the time I've known you," he replied dryly, chuckling slightly as he remembered the looks of death that had been directed at him. "And he certainly would not have been flustered last night, or as excited today after - I assume, at least - he kissed you."

Miranda blinked in surprise before realizing that Raven was completely right when she had said that it was impossible to hide secrets from Charles, whether telepathy was used or not. She looked down, biting her lip quietly to herself.

"Take a chance," Charles urged her gently. "If you don't, you're always going to wonder what would have happened if you had."

Miranda looked up, and then smiled gratefully at Charles. "You're a good friend, Charles," she murmured. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Charles replied.

For a few moments, they stood in silence, thinking about the discussion. For a second, Miranda wondered if Charles was right. Maybe the risk was worth whatever reward might come. Erik wouldn't have kissed her if he didn't have feelings for her. She had shown that she had feelings for him when she kissed him.

Was the risk worth the reward?

Miranda looked up as the sound of approaching footsteps came. Erik walked towards them, hands in his pockets. "Moira's still in the meeting?" he asked briskly, leaning against the wall on the other side of Miranda.

She nodded in confirmation. "Yeah," she replied, glancing at Charles, who had suddenly started to smirk. Resisting the urge to smack Charles as hard as she could, Miranda turned her gaze back to Erik. "She's been in there for awhile."

Erik paused as he looked back at Miranda, blue eyes meeting green. For a moment, it was almost as if he wanted to say something, but instead, backed down at the last moment. Slightly disappointed, both in his lack of action and her lack of courage to say something, Miranda sighed and glanced back towards the door again.

"I think we'll end up leaving tonight," Miranda mentioned. "Moira's boss is in there."

Charles nodded. "It's going well so far," he said, his fingers touching his temple as he narrowed his blue eyes at the door. He smiled. "Moira and the Agent are vouching for us. I'm actually rather touched by what they're saying…"

Erik frowned. "By we, you don't mean all of us?" he asked Miranda. "As in us and the kids?"

Miranda nodded, returning Erik's frown with one of her own. "Yes," she replied slowly, unable to see where he was going with this. "Why?"

Erik shook his head, and Charles returned his attention back to the two partners. "They're not ready to face Shaw," Erik warned Charles, gesturing towards the hallway. Down that hallway and past a few corridors were the other mutants. "If we end up facing him, they won't survive."

Miranda and Charles exchanged looks. "Erik, we don't even know if we're going somewhere tonight," he replied, thinking over Erik's words. "They're good kids. Don't sell them short."

Erik shot Charles an astonished look. "Charles, do not underestimate him," he warned in a dark voice. His blue eyes turned to ice as he continued, "Unfortunately, we underestimated him in Miami. And what happened? Miranda nearly drowned, and he got away."

Miranda shivered as she remembered. "Let's pretend that never happened, shall we?" she asked in a light voice, shooting Erik a warning look.

Erik shot her a look that almost seemed to be amused before turning back to Charles. "If we under estimate him again, he won't just get away, he will kill again. Who will it be this time? One of us three? Moira? Raven? Sean? Caroline?" He scowled as he leaned back. "It needs to be the three of us going after him. We need to leave the kids here for now. They're not ready."

"We need Moira," Miranda argued, looking a little worried as she returned Erik's stare. "She's a CIA agent, Erik, she's not a weakling. And if they're kids, the four of us are the adults. We're going to need her."

Charles looked at them both. "For right now, we don't even know if we're going after Shaw tonight," he replied. Sharp blue eyes stared at both of them for a few seconds. "Until we know what's going on, we shouldn't be discussing this." He sighed before glancing at the door. "We'll know for sure in a couple minutes."

Silence descended over the three for a few seconds. All three were lost in thought, worried about what the future held for all of them and worried about what was going on in the meeting in the next room over. The silence didn't last long, however.

Frowning slightly as the thought occurred to her, Miranda looked at the two men on either side of her. "So, how much trouble do you think the kids are causing?" she asked finally, frowning slightly as she pondered the question herself.

"Hopefully none," muttered Charles, though he looked slightly apprehensive. "We did make sure that there was no alcohol within their access, right?"

"Definitely," Miranda replied. "Half of them are still under age, and Angel only turned twenty-one two weeks ago. And besides. Like hell I'm dealing with a drunk Sean." She bit her lip as she tried to think of what else they might get into trouble. "We did make sure we got strong furniture that's not easily broken, right?"

"Remember who we're talking about here," Erik warned. He raised an eyebrow at the two brunette mutants before explaining, "We're talking about the group of people who managed to coordinated an admittedly well-organized attack against us. With water balloons. You think _strong furniture _will keep them from causing chaos?"

The three were silent for a moment as the implications of Erik's words sunk in.

"God, please don't make the damage they leave in their wake too bad," muttered Miranda, already wincing in anticipation for the chaos they were sure to find.

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><p>True to Charles's prediction, Moira walked out of the meeting room only a few minutes later. She didn't say anything to the other three as she walked past them briskly, heading towards where the other mutants were. The three exchanged worried looks before following her.<p>

"So?" Miranda finally asked as they headed down to the mutants' lounge. "What's going on?"

"We're in," Moira replied, glancing at her. She didn't seemed excited. She was serious, and seemed to be in complete CIA agent mode. Erik and Charles exchanged a look as Miranda nodded. "The plane leaves for Russia in an hour."

Erik frowned over at Charles. "I'm telling you, these kids are not ready for Shaw," Erik said, frowning slightly as a strange, unfamiliar noise entered the airspace around them.

"I think they're going to surprise you," Charles replied, glancing over at Erik. "They're an exceptional bunch of young people."

"What the hell?"

As they rounded the corner and the lounge came into view, it was clear that their predictions about chaos had come true. The statue that had been sitting in the middle of the quad, just outside the lounge, had been cut in half, and the head of the statue, resting on the ground, was smoking. The glass window was completely shattered, and there seemed to be water outside.

The mutants themselves seemed to be enjoying the chaos they had unleashed. Sean and Alex seemed to be testing the limits of Darwin's mutation by hitting him with every possible movable object in the room. Hank was hanging from the ceiling lamp, while Angel was flying a few feet away. Caroline and Raven were dancing, and Katie seemed to be throwing Oreos at oblivious Sean every few seconds, smirking slightly to herself.

"Hello, chaos," Miranda murmured to Erik, who was staring at the scene with an almost amused look on his face.

"What are you doing?" Moira bellowed as she approached the broken window, hands on her hips. The activity in the room stopped immediately, with every mutant turning in horror to the adults. Hank and Angel both returned to the ground, Katie ceased her Oreo throwing, and Sean dropped the chair he had been about to hit Darwin with. Alex fiddled with the piece of wood in his hands. Darwin's mutation powered down as he winced at the looks on the faces of the adults.

Miranda stepped forward as well, shooting them the best teacher look she could manage after four years of no practice. At the moment, she felt less like a teacher and more like a mother who had come home to find her children throwing a party. Erik remained back a bit, but Charles was frowning deeply at Raven in particular.

"Who destroyed the statue?" Moira demanded, her voice dangerously low.

"Actually, my question would be _how_ did you destroyed the statue," Miranda added, throwing a dark look towards Alex, who looked suddenly looked sheepish. Alex shot her an almost apologetic look, and Miranda's face softened at once.

This felt weird. Miranda had bonded with these kids in the short time she had known them. She knew that Charles and Moira had bonded with them. Even Erik, as much as he might try to deny it, had bonded a bit with a few of them, in particular Alex and Katie. She had gotten used to disciplining third graders, who, she had to admit, had never caused this much damage in the course of maybe an hour. She wasn't used to disciplining teenagers or young adults.

If Miranda had to admit it, she hated it. She felt like the bad guy right now, and she hated it. More specifically, she hated having to glare at Alex like that. She had bonded with the former prison inmate on the ride from Pittsburgh. He reminded her of Erik a bit, and that alone made her somewhat fond of him. He was a good kid who faced demons no one of any age should. She just didn't feel fond of the kid, she felt a good amount of respect and care towards him.

It was in that moment that Miranda decided that, if she ever had children, their father would take care of the disciplining when they were teenagers. She was clearly no good at it.

"It was Alex," Hank explained immediately, confirming Miranda's suspicions. He didn't seem to have any qualms about selling his fellow mutant out.

The blonde's face changed in an instant from apologetic to enraged. Alex whirled, shooting Hank a deadly glare. Raven, however, shot Hank a warning look before looking back at the adults. "No, Havok," she corrected. "We have to call him Havok. That's his name now."

Moira turned her stony glare to Raven, and Miranda raised an eyebrow as she looked at the other mutants. Sean looked a bit embarrassed, and Katie was staring at the floor, refusing to look at any of them. Alex seemed to be ignoring what Raven was saying, instead content to continue glaring at Hank, who seemed to be just as content glaring back. Caroline and Angel were exchanging embarrassed looks.

And we were thinking," Raven added, looking towards her brother, Erik, and Miranda. She pointed first to Charles. "You should be Professor X." She gestured towards Erik before doing the same to Miranda. "You should be Magneto, and Miranda should be Charge."

Miranda frowned at her for a few seconds. In those seconds, the adults just stared in disbelief at the recruits. Charles seemed to be beyond disappointed in all of them, Raven in particular. Moira was still furious beyond belief. For the first time in a very long while, Miranda couldn't tell how Erik felt.

"Exceptional," Erik scoffed. He shot them all one last look before walking away. Moira shook her head in disbelief before storming away.

"I expect more from you," Charles said quietly, staring directly at his sister. Raven's face fell as Charles walked away.

Silence reigned over the recruits as Miranda remained, looking at them each in turn, waiting until she met the gaze of each of these recruits. "Darwin," she finally said. She gestured for him to follow her, and she walked to the other side of the quad.

Darwin hesitated for a moment before following her, looking akin to the man following his executioner. Both he and Miranda could feel the stares of the other mutants, and Miranda raised an eyebrow at Darwin as he finally joined her on the other side of the quad. Darwin immediately put his hands in the air, speaking before Miranda had a chance.

"Look, we screwed up," he admitted. He shot a guilty look towards the remains of the statue. "I'm sorry, we're all really sorry, okay…"

Miranda bit her lip. "Do you understand why we're so angry at you, though?" she asked quietly, making every precaution to make sure they weren't heard by the others.

Darwin hesitated. "Because we destroyed the statue, broke the window, annihilated most of the furniture, and killed the fish in the aquarium?" he asked slowly, speaking as though he was reading through a list.

Miranda stared in surprise at him for a moment before asking, "How did you kill…" She shook her head. "Never mind, actually, I don't think I want to know how you killed the fish." She sighed before gesturing to the quad. "This isn't our space, Darwin. This is the CIA's property. They're just being nice enough to let us use it for now."

Darwin winced. "We didn't think about that."

"Clearly," Miranda replied, her voice gentle. She hated this completely, but she didn't want to just walk away when she and the others were leaving in less than an hour. "You always need to think things through, especially considering your abilities." She glanced towards the glass. "I assume Sean broke the window?" At Darwin's nod, Miranda continued, "What if Sean's power had accidentally hit one of you?" She gestured towards the statue. "What if Alex's power had gotten one of you?"

"We'd be in a lot more trouble?" Darwin asked, wincing slightly at the thought of being the target of Alex's destructive blasts.

"You'd be dead," corrected Miranda bluntly. She sighed. "You guys need to think, alright? Seriously."

Darwin nodded. "We're sorry," he told her, his voice sincere. He frowned as an even more solemn look came over her face. "That's not the only thing that you want to talk about is it?"

She shot Darwin a serious look as she shook her head. "Charles, Moira, Erik, and I are heading out in an hour," Miranda explained quietly, knowing that Erik had been right in saying that they weren't ready for Shaw. "And you need to look after the others while we're gone. You're not only the oldest, but despite tonight, I still believe that you possess the most common sense out of them all."

Darwin smiled slightly at her words, and Miranda patted his arm carefully. "Don't prove me wrong, alright?" she requested, gesturing towards the others. "Take care of them. Unfortunately, I've actually started to like all of you. All of us - Moira, Charles, myself, even Erik - are disappointed in you right now, but we still care about you guys."

Darwin nodded. "Won't let you down, Miranda," he assured her quietly.

Miranda nodded slightly. "I hope so, Darwin," she replied. She patted his arm again before walking back over to the mutants. They all looked up immediately as she approached, and she realized that none of them had really moved since she had pulled Darwin aside.

She looked at each of them again before sighing. "We're leaving for a few days," Miranda explained. "Not very long, but until we get back, Darwin is in charge." She looked around, and then bit the inside of her cheek. "I'd suggest you guys started cleaning up, and please… no more chaos. At least not while we're gone."

"Miranda, we're sorry-" Hank started immediately, his voice fading away as Miranda held a hand up.

"Look, we'll talk about it when we get back, alright?" she replied gently. She shot them each a look before saying, "We'll be back in a few days. Just behave until then." Miranda looked directly at Raven before adding quietly, "None of us are going to be mad forever." Raven looked down, her eyes strangely watery.

Miranda squeezed Darwin's arm before walking out, unable to shrug off the strangely worried weight in her gut.


	16. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** This was supposed to be up on Monday night. That didn't happen because no matter what I did, I was never satisfied with chapter. Why? Because this is such a freaking important chapter that I can barely say anything about it without spoiling the end!

Damn foreshadowing.

Plus, after you read, you'll understand why I needed to get this chapter right. It's a crucial moment in Erik and Miranda's relationship. As in it sets the tone for later on. It's a bit shorter, because next chapter is long, action-filled, and in all honesty, a blast. But this is good because it's definetley emotional.

I don't own X-Men. We should have gotten that covered by now. But yeah, I don't own it. I wish I did, but then again, I also wish that I could just wake up and find out that I've passed Chem. Not gonna happen.

Please review, guys. :) It was great hearing from you guys for last chapter, and I'd really love to find out what you think of this hugely important chapter. What do you think will happen, since I hit you with foreshadowing left, right, and center here? What do you think about Erik and Miranda finally getting somewhere? Let me know, guys, and please vote on the poll while you can. It'll be down late tomorrow, probably. Thanks for reading, hope everyone enjoys it. :)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 15<em>

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><p><em>En Route to Russia<em>  
><em>1962<em>

"Alright, if anyone comes near me in the next few hours, be warned I'm liable to bite off your head."

With those parting words, accompanied by one last, sharp, green eyed glare, Miranda stalked across the plane over to an empty seat. On the other side of the plane, Erik, Moira, and Charles watched as she sat on a seat that was as far away from the window as she could get. Miranda sighed rather loudly before sitting down, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the seat.

Charles glanced over at Erik, frowning slightly. "I thought she was afraid of water," he stated slowly, making sure not to look back over to her. He had no doubt she would carry out her threat if provoked.

Erik scoffed. "She is," he assured Charles, shooting a look towards Miranda. The telepath wasn't surprised to find both gentle amusement and undeniable fondness in it.

"We're on a plane," Charles replied slowly.

"Above water," added Erik. "That's more than enough for her to freak out about."

Moira frowned. "This plane is metal," she said slowly. She glanced carefully over at Miranda before returning her gaze to Erik. "You can control metal. Even if this plane would crash, which it won't, couldn't you just stop it before hitting the water?"

Erik smirked slightly. "I've had this conversation with her. Unfortunately, due to certain recent events, I'm sure that it didn't do anything to stop her fears." He shook his head before chuckling again to himself. "I've accepted it as a part of Miranda that's never going to change, as irritating as it might be."

Moira smiled quietly. "And yet she gets along fine with Katie, who can control the very thing she's afraid of."

"I've pondered the irony of that a few times." Erik chuckled quietly to himself.

Moira bit her lip. "Think we can get her back over here so we can talk about what _not _to do while on a mission with the CIA?" she asked, glancing over hesitantly. She clearly also put some stock into Miranda's threat.

Erik stood. "I'll do it. If she hasn't killed me by now, she never will." He walked across the airplane, well aware of Moira and Charles's gazes on his retreating back.

_Talk to her._ Erik froze and stiffened in an instant as Charles's voice echoed through his head. He didn't turn around as the telepath continued, _You know that you both need to have a serious talk about what you're both going to do. We have a long time on this plane yet to go. Moira is fine with waiting. Just talk to her, Erik._

Erik turned around, a deep frown in place on his handsome face. Charles merely smiled back, gesturing towards Miranda. Though she hadn't heard the telepathic message, Moira clearly understood the gist of it, judging from the little smirk on her face as she pretended to be engrossed with the files sitting on her lap.

Erik took a few moments to shoot a glare at the telepath. Charles, to his credit, didn't even flinch. Instead, the cheeky little smile remained on his face as he stared back at Erik. Finally, the Nazi hunter turned and walked back over to Miranda, trying to wipe the scowl off his face before he started to talk to his long-time partner.

He didn't hesitate as he plopped down in the seat next to Miranda. The two partners were silent for a few moments, and Erik just watched her carefully. She was stressed again. This time, he knew it was different.

Miranda was putting a lot in their new situation. She had gotten emotionally involved with the kids. Erik had seen the way that she had grinned at Alex when they had arrived back at the research center. She had been protective of the former prisoner from the start, had personally shown him around. Erik had heard Miranda tell Alex, quietly, before he had gone to meet the others, that if he needed to talk, she was there for him.

She had bonded with Sean and Katie on the ride down from Boston. While there had been several points where Erik had seriously contemplated murdering one of the two teens, Miranda had been calm, though a bit quiet, the entire time. She had made the teenagers felt comfortable, and had followed Charles's lead.

She was letting herself care about these kids, which meant that she would only worry about them when she was away. Though he would never admit it to her, Erik knew that Miranda would have been a wonderful mother to her son.

A long time ago, when they had first begun their partnership, Erik had sworn to himself that he would never let himself get close to Miranda. If he allowed that to happen and then something happened to her, he would have lost someone he cared about again. His promise had been broken quickly. Miranda had gotten her way into Erik's life and her presence had caused him to do something he hadn't thought possible.

He had started to care about someone again.

The lack of personal space, the circumstances of their quests, and of course, a few drunk nights, had broken down the walls for Erik, and he had actually began to care about Miranda. They still argued. They still fought about every other thing. But at the end of the day, they had each other's backs, and always would.

Through the past few years, Miranda had been there for him. And that was something he appreciated more than she would ever know.

In quiet moments that he never spoke of, Erik would think of his mother, his father, and the life that had been left behind after his time with Shaw and the camps. More often over the past few years, Miranda had been sneaking into those thoughts. Erik would wonder whether his mother would have liked her, whether his father would have approved of her, and how things would be in another life, if they had met under different circumstances.

"I thought I warned you."

Miranda's voice broke Erik out of his thoughts, and he stared down in surprise at her. Her green eyes had opened, and she was watching him carefully. There was a half smile sitting at the corner of her mouth, and she sighed quietly before looking nervously towards the window.

"If you were ever going to kill me, you would have done after one of the first dozen times you threatened me," Erik replied dryly, keeping his gaze on her as he waited. After a few moments, her gaze returned to his, her green meeting his blue, and a smile crossed her face.

It was a different kind of smile that Erik was used to seeing. Before the incident in Miami, Miranda's smiles were often dry and even a little bitter. After Miami, she had loosened up a bit and seemed to be happier. Her smiles had turned cheerful and calm, and Erik could detect something even warmer when she was around one of the recruits.

This smile was different from what he had seen before, but then, as he stared down at her, Erik realized that it was the same smile that she had given just after she had kissed him the other night, outside of the room, in the dead of night. This smile was soft and warm, and seemed to be almost satisfied and content. It was different from Miranda's normal smile, but there was nothing wrong with it.

Miranda's smile faded away slowly as she swallowed, shooting Erik a serious look. "I think we need to talk," she told him quietly, shooting a nervous glance towards the still-chatting Charles and Moira.

Erik nodded. "I think that would be a good idea," he replied, in a voice gentle enough that Miranda had to take a good look at him to confirm that it was Erik that she was speaking to.

Miranda gave a small laugh before looking down at her hands. "I don't even know where to begin," she admitted. She paused. "Actually, I do." Miranda turned her gaze to Erik as she apologized, "I'm sorry for ambushing you like that, the other night, with the kiss. It wasn't fair to you, and I shouldn't have done it."

"I would have protested if I hadn't liked it, I assure you of that," Erik replied gently.

"I know," Miranda whispered. She shook her head before running her fingers through her curly brown locks. It was around that point that Erik's words finally registered in her mind. "Wait, you would have…" Her voice trailed off as she stared at him in amazement.

"You weren't the only one who made a move," Erik reminded her. "Or do you forget what happened during the water balloon attack?"

"I doubt I'll ever forget the water balloon attack," muttered Miranda, scowling slightly as the memory shot through her mind. For a moment, guilt shot through her body as she remembered the kids' grinning faces during the attack, and the shame on their faces earlier that night, back at the base. Her face softened as she looked at Erik. "How are we supposed to go through with this?" she asked.

Erik sighed. "I don't know," he admitted.

If this was any other topic, Erik could have predicted her reaction to those words. She would have grinned at him and have remarked about how rare it was for him to admit that he didn't know something. The realization of how serious Miranda was taking this came for Erik in that moment as he realized that she hadn't teased him about that.

Miranda bit her lip. "Look," she finally started. She sat up straight, and looked directly into her partner's eyes, determination in every bit of her fierce gaze. "Right now, I'm seriously confused about how I feel about you, Erik. But right now, we're going to Russia to, quite possibly, end it all. Shaw could be in Russia. We could be heading to the end of it all."

Miranda almost seemed to hesitate. For a moment, she looked down at the floor of the plane, and Erik sighed. He moved slowly, his hand taking hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. Miranda looked at him with surprise, and he raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

She took a deep breath before adding, "Erik, I'm with you until the end, I promise. We didn't start this hunt together, but it's sure as hell going to end with both of us there." She suddenly scowled at him. "And if you even _think _about confronting Shaw without me, I swear to God, Erik…" She let her threat trail off. She knew he could fill in the blanks fine on his own.

"You're as much a part of this as I am," Erik assured her. He smirked slightly, not surprised that she could go from actually admitting something personal to threatening him in a few short seconds. "It'll end with us both."

Miranda smiled. "I'm glad." She squeezed his hand. She hesitated again for a moment before leaning her head against his arm, giving a sigh. "You know I'm with you until the end, but I don't think that really explains where we are… or actually, what we are."

Erik nodded softly. "I should have known that being partners with you would end up being more complicated than I ever could have thought," he told her dryly, remembering that night in Barcelona. Compared to what things were like now, Barcelona seemed to be even longer ago than it truly was.

Miranda chuckled. "I don't know about you, but if you went back in time and warned me what would happen if I became your partner… there's nothing I would change," she replied.

The corner of Erik's mouth twisted up into a half-smile. "A long time ago, you told me that I would regret this partnership sometimes, but when Shaw was dead, I wouldn't regret it at all." His smile grew a bit as he chuckled. "You were wrong."

"What do you mean?"

Erik looked right after before replying, "I've appreciated this partnership much more than I've regret it."

For a moment, Miranda just stared at him. As Erik watched her carefully, he frowned as he realized that the corners of her green eyes appeared to be almost a bit wet. A second later, it had disappeared, and Erik was left to decide that it had been a trick of the admittedly bad light of the plane.

Miranda bit her lip. "Erik, I'm not going to deny that I feel something for you," she blurted out at last. She needed to get this off of her chest sooner rather than later. They were going into a dangerous situation where one of them could very well be killed. If she remained silent and something happened to Erik…

Miranda knew that she would never forgive herself.

"But right now…" Miranda paused, trying to find the right words for it. These were words she had been looking for. Miranda had been looking for them for a long time now, ever since that one moment in their partnership that she had been forced to admit that she felt something stronger for Erik other than friendship.

"Right now, there's just too much going on." Miranda couldn't look at Erik as she spoke. She kept her gaze on floor of the plane, away from the windows, and more importantly, away from her blue-eyed partner whose gaze could turn her into a pile of mush just as easily as it could burn her to a crisp. "We're so close to finishing Shaw off once and for all… and right now, just thinking about our relationship changing is going to complicate everything."

She swallowed. "When Shaw is dead… maybe we can think about it," she whispered, her heart breaking more and more with each word she spoke. "But right now… Erik, the timing isn't right. We know each other too well.

"It sounds like you're just making excuses," Erik replied, his voice a bit harder than it had been a few minutes earlier. He took his hand from Miranda's, his eyes looking more like ice each passing moment.

Miranda glared fiercely at him, her eyes more akin to fire. "Dammit, Erik, you have no idea how much I actually want you and me to work out!" She froze as the words fully registered in her mind. A moment later, the understanding came over Erik's face as the two just watched each other.

"You've said what you've wanted to," Erik replied calmly. Miranda shot him a quiet, almost vulnerable look as he continued, "I think I deserve a chance to say what I want to."

Miranda nodded, gripping the armrest of her seat more tightly than ever.

"You've been there for me for years, Miranda, and you will never know how much I appreciate that. I don't care what happens in the future right now. I will always be there for you."

He paused for a moment, glancing back down at her for a second before he continued, "If you want an answer to whether or not I care about you, then yes. I care about you, Miranda, a lot more than I ever expected I would. I don't know what I would if something happened to you."

"Go on a murderous rampage?" Miranda suggested, smiling dryly.

"Sounds like a good idea," Erik admitted, smirking slightly, despite the still serious tone of his voice. "I don't care what happens, I'll be there for you. Come hell or high water, if you need me, no matter what ludicrous situation you get yourself into - because I have no doubt you will find yourself in some strange ones someday - I will be there for you."

Miranda smiled wryly. "To brutally attack any Frenchmen who slaps me," she replied dryly, smirking up at him.

"As long as you're there to break the ribs of any man attempting to bash my skull in," Erik said, smirking back down at her.

"Until the end," repeated Miranda, her green eyes bright as she gazed back up at him. She sighed before leaning her head back against his arm. "That leaves us back at square one."

"I thought we made progress," Erik rebutted, shaking his head. "We actually admitted that we have the potential to be something more." He frowned. "At least a relationship with you would be interesting."

"We'd kill each other before we were together for a month."

"It would be an entertaining month."

Miranda smirked, and then sighed, turning to Erik with a more serious expression on her face. "When we get back from this," she murmured, her voice soft enough that Erik had to strain to hear it. "Whether or not Shaw is dead, we need to have a serious talk about what we're going to do. But for right now, we're still partners. Whether or not there's a happily ever after between us, we're partners."

Erik smirked. "Until the end."

Miranda hesitated before looking back at her partner. "By the way," she muttered, her voice taking on an almost conspiratorial tone as she smirked. "I don't think I've ever regretted this partnership. Not even the time you almost drowned me."

Erik chuckled. "Shut up, Hanson."

"Make me, Lensherr."

Erik smirked, and the moment before he leaned in to her, Miranda realized that he had taken her words, spoken so often that they were practically heard daily, literally. The second after that thought registered, Erik's lips met her own.

It was different from their earlier kiss, their first real one, underneath the gaze of Abraham Lincoln's statue, in the shadows of the memorial's pillars. It was even more drastically different from their real first one, the one that Miranda had initiated, an impulsive action she had taken in the emotion of the moment.

This time, Miranda had some warning. The last one had been unexpected on her end, while her kiss had been unexpected for him. She was surprised for a moment, but not unpleasantly so. She relaxed into after a few moments, letting herself enjoy the moment. Despite all of the confusion that was currenty between them, there had been few things in Miranda's life that had felt as right as this kiss.

For a few moments, there was no Shaw. There was no potential war, no stress, no danger, and no fighting. For Miranda, there was just Erik, and that was more than enough for her.

Erik pulled out, a satisfied smile on his face. "Did that work?" he asked, his tone calm and a big smug.

Miranda nodded, looked both stunned and happy, before replying faintly, "Oh, yeah. It worked."

Back over on the other side of the plane, Moira frowned at Charles. "I thought we sent him over there to bring her back," she whispered, struggling in vain to hide the victorious smile on her face. "Not make out with her."

Charles's cheeky grin was enough to force Moira's own smile to break out. "I think we have a long journey ahead of us," he replied quietly, looking out the window. His grin grew. "And besides. With that little scene, Raven now owes me quite a bit of money."

Moira raised an eyebrow at him. "You bet with your sister on the growth of Erik and Miranda's love life?" she asked dryly, unable to decide whether she was exasperated or amused.

Charles raised an eyebrow. "Don't act innocent," he replied, his smirk turning into a teasing smile. "I know for a fact that you just won quite a bit against Caroline with that little scene over there."

"Did you read my mind?" Moira demanded, glaring at him.

Charles shook his head. "No, the smile on your face is one of a woman who has won a lot of money."

Moira chuckled, no longer bothering to hide the smile on her face. "Shut up, Xavier."

"Make me, MacTaggert."


	17. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** Oh. My. God. Guys, this reached 100 reviews last night. I never thought that this story was going to get this far. But I'm so happy, you wouldn't believe it. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, because without you, this story wouldn't be going on. It would have been stopped a long time ago, so seriously, thank you so much.

With that said, this chapter is dedicated to each person who has reviewed, alerted, and favorited this story. :) Thanks for supporting this story, you don't know how much I appreciate it.

This was a fun chapter pretty much because Emma and Miranda despise each other and aren't afraid to let it show. ;) But you'll understand what I mean when you read. Next chapter will be a bit different, but you'll understand what I mean when I post it, hopefully tonight or tomorrow morning. The update after that will probably end up coming on Sunday, since I work Friday night and Saturday all day, but Monday is a writing day because I'm off school again. :)

I've taken down the poll, so thanks to everyone who voted in it. :) As a final note, I don't own First Class, as much as I wish I did. I only own my OCs, and the Daniel storyline. But I'm alright with owning them, because the Daniel storyline gets interesting and pretty dark next chapter. Yes, spoiler alert. You get me a 100 reviews, I give you guys an update and a few spoilers.

Please keep reviewing, guys. :) I love hearing your reactions, so please review. It also makes updates come faster, hint hint. :) But thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I appreciate it so much. :)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 16<em>

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><p><em>Soviet Union<br>__1962_

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

In the front seat of the old, worn down truck, Moira nodded calmly as she glanced at Miranda, who sat on her right. "Absolutely," she replied firmly, her tone of voice cool and confident. "If we get stopped, which we won't because there's no checkpoints up ahead, we're going to say that you and I sisters and I'm his wife."

"Don't let Charles hear that," Miranda muttered, a teasing smirk lighting up her face.

"Shut up," muttered Moira as a light sprinkling as pink shot across her cheek, shooting a warning glare to the other brunette. She frowned as she looked up ahead through the windshield. Her brown eyes widened. "Oh, no. That's not supposed to be there."

Miranda looked ahead sharply, her green eyes widening as she realized what Moira had seen. What was clearly a checkpoint was straight ahead, complete with at least a dozen soldiers and a few German Shepherds. Miranda's fist went back to the back of the truck and tapped it a few times, turning around along with Moira.

A second later, the a panel in the back of the truck opened, revealing Charles and Erik. In the dim light behind them, Miranda could make out a few faces of the dozen soldiers also sitting in the back. Erik was frowning, and Charles looked slightly concerned. Back on the plane, Moira said that they would only be opening this secret hatch in the case of an emergency.

"We've got a problem," Moira's partner explained grimly, not turning around as he continued to drive forward.

"What?" Charles asked, trying to see from behind the two brunette women in front of them.

"I'm sorry," Moira apologized instantly, her voice a drastic change from earlier. Now, it was worried, and Miranda could tell that she had not been prepared for this checkpoint at all. "This wasn't on the map."

"What do we do?" Miranda asked as Erik and Charles both looked ahead through the small panel, a frown coming over Erik's face as he realized their situation. Charles looked grim.

"We can't stop and turn around, you can't be anymore suspicious than that," Erik muttered grimly, his body tensing as the truck came ever closer to the checkpoint.

Charles sighed, a determined look setting onto his face. He turned to Moira and Miranda before saying, "No matter what happens, act normally. I'll take care of this, alright?" He closed the wooden door, leaving the two CIA agents and the mutant in the front seat.

"How's he going to take care of this?" Miranda muttered nervously as the truck stopped. Moira shot her a look that told her that she was just as confused.

Moira's partner just sighed as he stopped at the checkpoint. He immediately pulled down the window, and Miranda, on the other side of the front, forced herself to keep her gaze on the one Moira's partner was talking to, and not the one that had come up on the other side of the truck. She also forced herself not to look at the German Shepherd that had started to sniff around.

[Where are you going?] the soldier demanded. Miranda recognized the language as Russian immediately, and prayed that she wouldn't have to speak. She could barely speak a word of Russian, despite the fact that she could understand a fair bit of it, thanks to Erik. If she had to speak, she was going to doom them all.

Moira's partner seemed to have it taken care of. [To our farm,] he explained calmly. It sounded as though he had been speaking Russian his entire life.

Towards Miranda's side, the dog began barking, pulling towards the back of the truck. It whined softly, pulling against the its holder as it hurried towards the back, its whining growing consistently louder with each passing second.

The soldier exchanged a glance with the dog's handler before turning back to Moira's partner. [Open the back,] he ordered, glancing towards the barking dog.

[Of course.] Moira and Miranda exchanged a glance as Moira's partner stepped calmly out of the front seat.

On the outside, Miranda remained calm. Internally, she was a bit nervous. How was Charles supposed to take care of this? They had been caught off guard, and Miranda didn't think that this could end well, no matter how hard Charles could try. Miranda bit the inside of her mouth as she heard the back of the truck opened, and waited for the gunshots.

Much to her surprise, none came.

[Anything back there?] one soldier from the front called, glancing at Moira and Miranda in the front before glancing back to where the other soldier and Moira's partner now stood.

[No, it's empty.] The words brought an infinite amount of relief down on Miranda's shoulders. It took most of her self control not to break out into a happy dance.

[Everything okay?] Moira's partner asked calmly, though Miranda was sure that he was wondering how Charles had managed to pull it off. Miranda knew that Charles was powerful, but now, she was wondering how badly she had underestimated her telepathic friend.

[Yes.] A second later, the doors of the back slammed closed, and Miranda closed her eyes for a second, glancing to the sides again as Moira's partner reentered the car. A few seconds later, the car started, and they were on their way again.

As soon as they were far enough away, Miranda grinned and then whispered, loud enough so that she knew Charles could hear, "Nicely done, Charles. Nicely done." She turned to Moira. "How much farther?"

"Not far at all," Moira murmured, looking to be a bit calmer. She glanced at her friend for a second before asking, "Are you ready?"

Miranda smiled quietly. "As I'll ever be."

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><p>An hour later, they were hidden in the shade of the trees above the home of one of the Soviet Union's top officials. Each of the five had a pair of binoculars in their hands, pointed towards where a helicopter was landing and letting someone out. A grim silence filled the air between the group as they watched a woman clad in white exit, a few moments before the helicopter flew off again.<p>

Tension joined thea grim silence as they realized that only the woman in white had come.

"Where's Shaw?" Erik demanded, setting his binoculars down as he glanced over at the other, Miranda at his immediate left, followed by Moira, Charles, and Moira's partner.

"I don't know," Charles murmured, a concerned frown marring his normally handsome features. For a second, he though of the known allies of Shaw, and then remembered the blond haired telepath that Erik had mentioned the night of their first meeting. "But if I read her and she's the telepath, she'll know we're here." He bit his lip quietly as he looked back through his binocular.

Miranda stared through the binoculars, frowning at the white clad woman. A few loose sparks shot from her finger tips, causing Moira to shoot her a wary glance. "Is she the one from the boat that night?" she asked Erik, her tone hard. "Emma? The one that mentally attacked you and Daniel?"

"Yes," Erik confirmed reluctantly, shooting her a wary look. He exchanged a look with Moira, and found himself glad that Miranda was currently between himself and Moira.

Her green eyes narrowed in anger as she stared at the blur of white. "I'm going to kill her," Miranda remarked in an almost conversational tone of voice. "The bitch isn't just working with the man who made all hell broke lose in my life, she attacked you and Daniel. She's going down." Taking a deep breath, Miranda looked at Moira. "They've still got Daniel, but I don't know if…"

"He's still alive," Erik interrupted grimly, not looking at Miranda as he glanced back through his binoculars. He knew she was still worrying about her brother-in-law's safety, but he could remember quite well how Shaw worked. "Daniel's powers are unique, and at the moment, they could mean the difference between success and failure for whatever Shaw has planned. He won't be dead anytime soon."

"We'll find Daniel," Charles promised quietly. He frowned over at the building. "I think I have an idea." His hand slowly went to his temple, and he frowned as his gaze turned faraway.

"What's he doing?" murmured Miranda, frowning slightly at him.

"He's Charles," Moira muttered. She returned her attention to the house, where Emma was speaking to a Soviet official she recognized immediately from files she had read earlier. "Whatever he does, it'll work."

Miranda glanced at Erik. "Where is he?" she whispered, echoing Erik's question. "From what we've learned about him over the years, he wouldn't skip this. It's too important."

Erik scowled and didn't answer. "It doesn't make sense," he murmured, glancing at Miranda before looking back down.

There was silence for a few moments, until Charles seemed to become more alert in an instant, looking grim before turning over towards Moira, Erik, and Miranda. At the house below, one of the men seemed to snap out of a trance, looking a bit confused. Moira smirked when she realized what Charles had done.

"He's not coming," Charles stated, glancing over to a disappointed Miranda and a slightly angry Erik. He shook his head before turning his attention to Moira, who looked a bit troubled. "So what now, boss?"

Moira hesitated for a moment, mulling their limited options over in her head. "Now, nothing," she decided. Miranda stared at her in surprise, and Moira shot her an apologetic look, though her tone of voice remained firm. "We're here for Shaw. Mission aborted."

"The hell it is!" retorted Erik, beginning to rise. Miranda raised an eyebrow at him, waiting to see what he would do before she reacted to it.

"Erik!" Moira hissed, glaring up at him.

"She's his right hand woman!" Erik protested, gesturing sharply towards the house. "That's good enough for me," Erik hissed, shooting a desperate look down at Miranda, who looked slightly conflicted. He knew she'd be there with him in an instant, he just had to get down there.

"The CIA invading the home of a senior Soviet official. Are you crazy?" Moira demanded, staring at him as if he had grown another head.

"I'm not CIA," Erik snapped back, giving a grim smile. He turned and hurried away, heading down towards the path that led to the house.

"Erik!" Charles exclaimed, groaning when he realized that it was useless trying to argue with him.

Moira's attention immediately went to Miranda, who had shifted slightly. Just as Miranda began to stand, Moira lunged and grabbed her arm, holding her down. "Miranda!" Moira hissed. "Seriously, this is not-" Her words stopped as a metallic sound resonated through her ears, and the attention of the remaining four was stolen by the happenings on the field.

The metal fence had began to rise, and seemed to encase several of the soldiers, who had not had time to react before they were taken down, trapped in barbed wire. The four stared down at the scene, though only Moira's agent seemed to be completely surprised. Both Moira and Charles looked extremely frustrated.

"Well, subtly was never Erik's strong suit," Miranda muttered conversationally, not looking surprised in the least.

"He's gonna start World War III single handedly!" Moira's partner hissed, shooting the brunette female a look that told her he considered this entire incident her fault.

To her eternal credit, Moira ignored the look. "We have to do something!" Moira hissed.

"Like what?" he demanded, glaring back just as fiercely over Charles. He turned his attention back to the soldiers standing down in the trees below. "We're moving out!" he called down softly to them, beginning to rise.

"You can't!" protested Charles.

"Like hell!" Miranda growled, glaring furiously at Moira's partner before making her way to stand up.

Moira grabbed her arm again as she made a move to follow the path that Erik had just taken. "Miranda, don't," warned Moira, shooting a glance towards the field down below. Erik was visible again, rushing down the stone path in front of the large, green yard.

"Moira, not only has my partner just run into that mess," Miranda snapped, wrenching her arm away from the CIA agent. Charles could tell by the look in her green eyes that she had made her choice. "But that bitch knows where Daniel is! Daniel is Alex's age, Moira! He's nineteen years old, and I'm sure as hell not just going to leave him with Shaw while we search around the globe for him! I'm not abandoning Daniel, and I'm sure as hell not abandoning Erik!"

With those final words, Miranda bolted, heading right down the way that Erik had gone. Moira's partner gave a final groan before standing up and heading down to hill, where the soldiers stood waiting for orders.

Charles and Moira shot each other a worried look before watching the field as Erik. "We can't leave them," Charles stated, glancing down towards the field. Miranda had just become visible, racing across the yard after Erik.

Moira nodded in agreement, determination setting in her brown eyes. "We're not," she replied grimly. She stood, taking Charles's binoculars before glancing down at her partner. "Go after Erik and Miranda. I'll stall him long enough for you three to get back." Her gaze returned to Charles before saying, "My bosses will forgive me for invading the home of a Soviet official if you can bring her in alive."

Charles nodded. "Consider it done," he replied, nodding once before taking off in the direction that Erik and Miranda had set off in.

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><p>Erik didn't pause once in his race down the woods and into the house, taking out any guard that dared stood in his way. He had only been in the house for a few seconds before he had been forced to defend himself again, using the guards' own weapons against them.<p>

It had only taken a few seconds as Erik walked over the two guards, their faces red, the evidence of the guns hitting their owners right in the faces. They were all still alive. At the moment, Erik didn't want anyone else's blood but Shaw's.

As he walked up the few steps that led to another hallway, Erik heard footsteps, quickly followed by a man's cry of pain. He turned sharply, blue eyes narrowing as he saw Miranda standing a few yards behind him, her electric glove easily visible as she shocked a guard, his weapon dropping to the ground. A moment later, he slumped to the ground, unconscious, and Miranda straightened, breathing heavily.

Miranda shot him a slightly scolding look as her breathing evened out. "You thought you were doing this without me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she walked forward, glancing around as the two kept moving.

"Not at all," Erik replied. "I'm surprised it took you this long to get down here, but I knew you'd be here sooner or later."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Miranda muttered, smirking slightly. She looked around again before frowning at Erik. "Do you have any idea where we're going?"

"He doesn't, but I do." Out of breath himself, Charles joined the two partners, pointing to a door down a hallway to their left. "She's in there."

"Well, let's join her, shall we?" Erik asked grimly as Miranda pulled open the door.

The doors burst open as the three walked in, though they all paused in surprise at the scene in front of them. Emma was dressed in sheer white garments that seemed to be more suitable as underwear than an actual outfit, and was sitting on a couch off to the side of the room. She had turned sharply when the doors had opened, her gaze narrowing at the site of the three interlopers.

The Soviet official sat on the bed, caressing something that was invisible to the three. It only took a few seconds for the three mutants to realize what was going on, and the reactions of the three varied. Miranda's face went a bit green as she realized, and she almost shuddered.

"Oh, God…" Miranda muttered, resisting the urge to gag. She closed her eyes and moved her head as Erik and Charles exchanged a startled, half-amused look. The illusion faded away for the Soviet official, and he froze as he saw the three.

"Nice trick," Charles told Emma conversationally, glancing back towards the bed almost casually. She scowled at him before shooting a flirty smile towards the man on the bed.

[Who are you?] he demanded, his hand going to the gun at his waist.

"Go to sleep," Charles ordered instantly, his fingers to his temple before the man could even sit up straight. The man gave a groan before flopping back down onto the bed, fast sleeping, the gun slack in his hand.

"So, you're the sadistic telepath," Miranda stated, glaring furiously at her as Emma stood up, her skin shifting from human flash to diamond in a few seconds. Both she and Charles looked a bit startled, though Erik did not look surprised.

Emma smirked back, her body glittering in her diamond form. "You must be the one Daniel found, bleeding, almost dead, in his brother's kitchen," she replied, her tone as hard as her skin. Miranda's face darkened instantly, and her first clenched, blue sparks appearing at her fingertips.

Emma turned her attention back to Charles, who had continued his attempt to get into Emma's mind. "You can stop trying to read my mind, sugar," Emma told Charles, smirking slightly. She telepathically pushed back, and Charles grimaced before redoubling his efforts. "You're never going to get anything from me while I'm like this."

For a moment, there was a standstill. And then, in a second, it broke. Emma's first move was to send a telepathic attack not at Charles, but at Miranda. The brunette mutant was dimly aware of Erik and Charles rushing forward towards Emma as she collapsed to the ground as a mental image was thrown through her mind. She gasped sharply as the image of David's body, covered in blood, came back, accompanied by the image of Shaw standing over his body…

"Miranda, snap out of it!"

Miranda's eyes snapped open as the image disappeared, only to meet Erik's concerned ice blue stare. "What happened?" she demanded, standing with Erik's support. She felt Charles's gaze on her, just as concerned as Erik. Erik took Miranda's hand as he pulled her up, the concern still visible in his eyes.

"She made a break for it," Erik replied dryly, gesturing towards Emma. Miranda blinked in surprise to see that Emma was trapped against the bed. The metal of the bed had twisted to keep her there, though she was still in her diamond form. "She decided to take on two of us rather than three, so she sent you down."

"Bitch," muttered Miranda, glaring at Emma with an all new level of hatred. She nodded at Charles as Erik stepped forward, staring down at Emma with contempt.

"Where's Shaw?" he demanded.

Emma remained silent, glaring up at the Nazi hunter. Erik smirked slightly as she remained silent. His eyes narrowed, and a piece of the metal wrapped around Emma's neck like a snake. Miranda watched as the metal seemed to tighten around Emma's neck, going further with each second.

"Erik," warned Charles, watching the scene with alarm. He shot Erik a warning look. "Erik, that's enough."

The Nazi hunter did not stop. Miranda could distinctly hear cracking as the metal tightened even further, and she frowned, just as troubled as Erik, when she realized that her partner was giving no indication of stopping anytime soon.

"Erik, that's enough!" Charles interjected sharply, glaring at the taller man. He shot Miranda a desperate look, as if hoping that she could stop him while he couldn't.

She hesitated slightly, but nodded before taking a step towards her partner. "Erik…" Miranda murmured, her hand touching Erik's arm gently. A second later, Erik looked down at her, and the metal relaxed around Emma's neck. Her diamond form shattered, leaving behind a heavily breathing Emma, who continued to glare up at Erik.

"All yours," Erik said grimly, gesturing towards the female telepath. He shrugged off Miranda's arm before sitting down on the nearby couch. He shot her a glare before turning back to Charles. "She won't be shifting into diamond form again. If she does, just give her a gentle tap."

Charles nodded before narrowing his eyes at Emma, his fingers pressing against his temple. Miranda glanced over at the Soviet official before looking back at Erik. "How long was I on the ground?" she asked carefully, not happy about being the one singled out by Emma.

"Only a few seconds," Erik replied. He glared over towards Emma, who was staring right back at Charles. He could only guess what was going on telepathically between the two. "Charles broke it quickly enough. What did you see?"

"What makes you think I saw anything?" Miranda demanded, shooting a look towards him.

Erik gave a dark scowl. "Because I was on the receiving end of one of her telepathic attacks that night," he replied dryly. He saw her hesitate, and then asked, "David?"

Miranda nodded stiffly. "Yes, it was David." She looked back at Erik, and she bit her lip before saying, "Look, Erik, now's not the time to talk about it. I promise, we can discuss my dead husband to your heart's content later on when we have our other serious talk, but for right now, we need to focus on now."

Erik nodded slowly as he glanced back at Charles. He straightened up as he saw Charles's face go pale. Miranda frowned slightly before exchanging a worried glance with Erik. Charles looked more worried than either had seen before, and it honestly made Miranda uneasy.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Emma asked, watching Charles's reaction carefully.

Charles turned to Erik and Miranda, his face pale and set in worry. "This is worse than we previously imagined." He turned back to Emma. "We're taking you with us," Charles warned, his voice soft and almost polite. "The CIA will want to question you themselves."

"I doubt it," Emma replied, her smile turning cold and smug. "They have bigger things to worry about by now." Her smile seemed to only decrease in temperature as she turned to look at each of the three other mutants in turn, her gaze resting on Miranda for a fraction of a second longer. "And so do you three."

Miranda glared down at her before holding up a fist. The electric blue light covered it immediately, and Miranda shot the blond telepath a glare that held an undeniable challenge. "Mind clarifying?" she asked lightly, her green eyes harder than the metal her partner could control.

Emma smirked back, only to happy to meet it. "Well, first of all, your precious little brother-in-law. It's only a matter of time until his usefulness has ended. But then again, he's not the only one you should be worried about."

"Miranda, she's lying," Charles interjected sharply. He grabbed her arm as she took a step forward. "Daniel is still alive. Erik is right. Shaw doesn't want him dead. Daniel is alright." Charles shot an almost amused look at Emma. "And he absolutely despises you."

Miranda smirked. "I knew that Daniel was a smart kid…" Her voice trailed off with her last word, and her face turned white as she stared down at Emma in horror. "Not the only one we should be worried about… oh, no. Oh, God," she whispered.

Emma smirked. "Figured it out, did you?"

"Figured what out?" Erik demanded, standing and taking a step forward towards the restrained telepath. She shot him a glare as she remained silent, refusing to answer him.

Charles's fingers moved to his temple, but froze in midair. "The recruits," he whispered, his face turning a shade close to Miranda's as the realization set in without the use of telepathy. "Shaw is going after the recruits."

Emma only smirked, and Miranda's anger snapped. She pulled her arm from Charles's grasp before taking a step forward. She leaned down in front of Emma, and for a moment, the two women just glared at each other with a hatred that neither of the two men currently watching could have thought possible.

"Listen, bitch," Miranda growled, glaring down at her. "You better pray that they're alright, because if they're not, I swear to God, I don't care where the CIA puts you, I will find you, break in, and I promise, when I finish what I plan to do to you, there won't be a body left to find!" Her eyes narrowed. "And I promise you, Shaw will follow you soon enough."

"I doubt it, sweetheart," Emma sneered at her. "If they're not dead now, they will be soon, and little Daniel will be next. It's a shame. All he's wanted to do is protect you."

Her green eyes alit with a fury that none of them had thought possible, Miranda acted before even Erik could guess what she would do. Her hand was in its electric glove in an instant, and her hand flew to Emma's exposed arm. The telepath hissed as the electricity was drained from Miranda's body into her own. It only took a few seconds before the telepath's vision became blurry on the edges.

"Miranda!" growled Charles. "Miranda, stop!"

Charles straightened up in alarm, and looked sharply at Erik, who nodded once, silently. Erik didn't say a word as he stepped forward and grabbed Miranda around the waist, pulling her up and away from the now unconscious Emma. He exchanged a look with Charles, who nodded. The metal bars released Emma from its grasp, and the telepath slouched to the ground. Erik pulled Miranda into the hallway.

To his surprise, she was no longer struggling. Instead, Miranda had continued to glare at Emma. If looks could kill, Erik knew that there would have been no body left for anyone to find. He set her down in the hallway, glancing over at Charles, who was picking up the telepath after his hand went to his temple. Erik could only assume that he was making sure she wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

"Look at me," Erik demanded, turning his attention and gaze down to his partner.

Miranda either ignored him or didn't hear him as she continued to glare at Emma.

"Look at me," Erik repeated, his voice rougher as he grabbed Miranda's shoulders and turned her to face him. Miranda started and glared up at him, and he was surprised to see actual fear in her eyes. She was worried about the kids, and he couldn't blame her, but he was surprised at how deep her worry and fear were at the moment.

Glad that Emma was unconscious and that the Soviet official was still asleep in his bed, Erik grabbed Miranda and pulled her into his arms, holding her for a second. Miranda remained stiff for a few seconds, but then relaxed. For a moment, he thought he heard a sniffle come from her, but he dismissed it, not able to believe that Miranda was closer to breaking down than ever.

"They're strong, they'll be alright," Erik whispered to her.

"They better be." Miranda's glare, a combination of fear, anger, protectiveness, and even a bit of despair that Erik had never seen before, focused on the unconscious Emma, now in Charles's arms. "If not, she has hell to pay."


	18. Chapter 17

**Author's Note:** Dammit. This chapter wasn't supposed to be this long. But nope, it decided to write itself and become the longest chapter to date. Dammit. This chapter is different because Miranda actually doesn't appear at all. Instead, the focus goes to a few other characters, in order to introduce a few subplots and bring in hints for the sequel. Yes, there are hints for the sequel in here. Let's see if anyone can pick them out. If you can, I'll give you a couple spoilers for either this story or the sequel. Your choice. :)

I'm amazed at the support for this story. :) Thank you guys so much, you don't know how much I appreciate it. It's so much fun to write it. We're getting into a different part of the story, one that will takes a few liberties with how much time passes between the attack on the base and the final Cuba confrontation. It's a bit more than in the film, but I hope you guys can forgive me for that, because we get more Erik/Miranda because of that longer timespan.

I don't own X-Men. Shock. Seriously, it depresses me that I need to remind myself of that, but I'll settle for playing with my OCs. I'm telling you, after this, I start royally screwing Daniel over. I love messing with my OCs.

Please keep reviewing, guys. :) It makes my day, and keeps the updates coming. Sadly, the next update won't be until Sunday most likely, due to the fact that I work tomorrow night and most of the day Saturday. :( But I have off Monday, so that's a writing day! :D Yay for more writing! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, it was an interesting one to write.

Oh, one more thing. I owe _The Singing Duck_ inspiration for the inspiration with the fish-killer-teasing that goes on in here. Her review for Chapter 15 made me realize what I could do with that scene, even though we never actually saw it, so this chapter is dedicated to you, _Duck_. :) Thanks for being a great supporter.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 17<em>

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><p><em>CIA Research Base, Virginia<br>1962_

Darwin knew that if the four adults could see them now, they would be rather proud. The recruits had been keeping the chaos to a minimum since what they had christened the Statue Incident. Granted, it had been hard to completely terminate the chaos with both Sean and Alex in the same room, but the former taxi driver had to admit that both of the teenage boys were on their best behavior.

He put it down to the fact that they had been just as embarrassed about getting caught in that situation. Darwin had explained what Miranda had said after she had left, and they had all agreed that they didn't want to put more stress on the four adults. Which was why it was actually somewhat quiet that particular evening, two days after the four had left to go after Shaw.

Most of the group was sitting at the couches, drinking cocoa. Darwin had to hand it to Charles and Miranda. The two had made sure that there was no alcohol anywhere. Earlier, when he had questioned Miranda about that, just before they had returned to the CIA base after the water balloon fight, she had muttered something about how none of them needed to deal with a drunk Sean.

Darwin didn't have to argue with that logic.

As laughter came from the couches, Darwin glanced over to the group in question. Raven and Angel shared the couch with its back to the door, with Hank across from Angel and Sean across from Raven. Katie sat on the chair closest to Sean, cross-legged, while Caroline sat in the other one, leaning back and looking tired.

Sean and Katie seemed to be telling a story. Darwin could remember Katie mentioning earlier than she and Sean had known each other for years, due to their attendance at the same school and the fact that they lived two blocks away from each other. From what he was able to hear from his position at the pinball machine next to Alex, who was playing, it was about an incident where Sean, joined by his cousin Tom, spied on Katie in a tree and preceded to be caught by one of Katie's older brothers.

"You're such a stalker," Angel teased Sean, grinning at him. Her face was happy, and she seemed to be forcing herself not to keep laughing, as Hank, Caroline, and Raven were. She looked back at Katie. "What did you do when you found out?"

Katie smirked. "I threatened to release my wonderful dog Sammy on them," she replied, looking slightly devious.

On the couch next to her chair, Sean shuddered. "Scariest dog ever," he muttered, running a hand through his red hair. At the grins on the faces of the other mutants, he protested, "Seriously! That creature is like the most evil dog in the world!"

"Sammy's a beagle, Sean," Katie replied dryly, shooting a tired look towards the red head. "He's shorter than your leg."

"I still have the scar on my ankle from when he attacked me when I was six!"

"You tried to tie him to a sled!"

"So that excuses your dog attacking me!"

"Um, yeah! If someone tied me to a sled, I do more than bite them!"

"What did the fish did to you, then, Katie? You killed them in cold blood!"

"For crying out loud!" Katie groaned, hiding her head in her hands. Hank chuckled, and next to Darwin, Alex gave a loud laugh as he scored again, both out of victory and amusement for Katie's words. "I did not mean to kill the fish! I didn't _want _to kill the fish! I'm not some mindless fish killer!" She blew her hair out of her eyes before turning towards Darwin. "Hey, Darwin, who's winning over there?" she asked, in a thinly veiled attempt to change the subject.

Darwin smiled quietly before saying, "Alex. He's killing me." He shot a glare towards the blond-haired mutant. "And by killing, I mean in the same way with you and the poor fish."

"Darwin! Just let it go!" Katie groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Alex chuckled again, more relaxed than Darwin had seen him before. "Don't beat yourself up," Alex told him. "I've had a lot of spare time." His faced darkened for an instant, but lit up in a smile as another hundred points were added up to his already impressive score. "And by the way," he added, directing his statement towards Katie. "We're never going to let you forget it. You'll be old and gray and still bickering with Sean, and we'll still be teasing you about the fish."

Sean frowned slightly at the statement, and Katie scowled before looking over at Angel. "You're all mean," she muttered, pouting, her arms crossing her chest as she set down her cup of cocoa. She scowled back towards the pinball machine. "Beat him, Darwin! He keeps laughing at me!"

"Kind of hard not to, Katie," Alex teased, not looking back as he continued to raise his score.

Katie's scowl deepened as she sunk into her chair. "You're all mean," she repeated, glaring at Sean in particular as she gave a deep, long-suffering sigh.

Caroline giggled as she exchanged a look with Raven, but a moment later, her attention was taken by something else. The window to the courtyard had been repaired last night, but it was still possible to hear people talking outside. As the mutants all glanced up at the same moment, two men, dressed in black suits, passed them, pausing when they realized that the mutants had noticed them.

The taller one gave a cruel grin as he turned his attention to Angel. "Oh, I didn't know the circus was in town. Come on, honey, give us a little…" He flapped his arms in an imitation of Angel's wings, and Angel stiffened as she glared at him. "No?" He turned his attention to Hank. "Let's see the foot."

Hank rolled his eyes before standing up. The others watched as he walked towards the curtains. The man grinned before adding, "There it is, come on, Bigfoot, let's go…" He frowned as Hank approached the button that let the curtains fall down, and then protested, "Hey, hey, c'mon…" Hank shot a salute before pressing down on the button, closing the curtain. He shook his head before sitting back down.

"Assholes," growled Caroline, setting her mug down. She pulled her bushy ponytail over her shoulder, and then glanced over towards Angel, who looked hurt, and Hank, who looked a bit angry.

With a small sigh, Caroline twisted around in her seat and exchanged a dark look with Alex. The blond haired teenager bit his lip as he met Caroline's gaze. He didn't say a word to her as he turned back around and continued playing on the machine. Caroline sighed before turning around and looking at Angel and Raven.

"They're just guys being stupid," Raven said quietly, glancing at the closed curtains before returning her attention to Angel.

"Guys being stupid I can handle. Okay? I've handled that my whole life." Angel looked back at Raven, her eyes cold and hard, though the pain was easily visible for everyone in the room. "But I'd rather a bunch of guys stare at me with my clothes off than the way these ones stare at me."

Raven stared back for a few moments. "At us," she corrected softly.

"Guys in general are stupid jerks, mutant or not," Caroline interjected. She scowled before noticing the insulted looks coming from Hank and Sean. She shot an apologetic look towards Hank and Sean before calling over her shoulder to Darwin and Alex, "No offense to you guys. You're all exceptions to that rule."

Katie glanced at Sean. "Well, sometimes," she muttered, ignoring the mock glare the red head shot her. She smirked back, and as Sean rolled his eyes, he was pleased to notice that a little half-smile had come over Angel's face with as Sean and Katie had bickered.

Oh well. Sean's mother had always insisted that amusement was guaranteed when he and Katie were put into a room together.

For a few moments, the group just sat in silence, the only intruding sound the occasional noises from Alex's pinball game. And then, a thump sounded throughout the room. It was soft at first, but it was enough for all of them to notice. Hank frowned, glancing at the ceiling as he sat straight up. Caroline and Katie exchanged nervous glances, while Angel swallowed. Raven looked around sharply, and Sean frowned.

Darwin turned back towards the group as the thumps grew louder. For a moment, he just looked at the group. And then, almost as if she was next to him, Darwin remembered the last words that Miranda had told him. She had told him to watch out for the others. He didn't know what that noise was, but some primal instinct told him that it wasn't good.

And that primal instinct also told him that he had to protect the others.

"What was that?" Darwin demanded.

"I don't know," Hank murmured, standing up slowly.

Darwin swallowed before patting Alex's shoulder. The blond-haired teenager followed him as the former taxi driver crossed across the room, heading to the same curtains that Hank had closed moments before. They pulled open quickly, revealing a completely empty courtyard. For a few moments, they stood in silence, watching the empty area, listening as the thuds grew.

"Maybe it's a thunderstorm?" Sean asked, looking up as another thud sounded.

"That's not thunder," Alex murmured, shaking his head. "I don't know what it is, but it's not thunder."

"Maybe we're imagining it?" Caroline asked, just as several thuds came in quick succession. Angel shot her a look. Caroline sighed and put her hands up in surrender. "Okay, we're not imagining it. What is it, then?"

"What is that?" Darwin whispered.

Everyone looked up towards what Darwin was staring at. Up above, silhouetted against the full men, was what appeared to be two full grown men. The one almost seemed to have a tail. As the recruits watched, the one with the tail let go of his companion and disappeared in red smoke. The second figure dropped through the sky, landing with a familiar thud on the other side of the window.

All of the mutants jumped back as both Angel and Raven screamed. Caroline's mouth opened, but she seemed too stunned to scream as she backed into Alex, who grabbed her hand and pulled her back, his eyes staring down at the body, and the pool of blood slowly forming underneath its head. Katie gasped sharply, grabbed onto Sean's arm as her knees buckled. The red head reacted instantly, a hand gong to her arm as he held her up. Angel backed up slowly, her hands at her mouth as she stared at the now dead Agent, his body bent at an unnatural angle. Raven had backed up, her hands going to her mouth as her hands shook. Hank swallowed hard, looking around wildly for a sign to what was happening.

Darwin realized in that moment that they were in some serious trouble.

A few seconds passed, and the lights on the roof of the building went on. As the mutants watched in horror, more bodies rained down. Darwin was the first to react as several suit-clad agents raced onto the quad, all heavily armed. He grabbed the back of Alex's jacket, pulling him towards the now empty fish tank, which he knew would provide them with the most cover. Darwin knew he had to remain calm. He was going to help protect the others, and he knew that would be easier if they were out of the way. Alex caught Darwin's eye and nodded before pulling Caroline with him. Raven and Hank quickly followed, Hank grabbing onto the blonde's hand.

Angel, Sean, and Katie remained where they were, seemingly frozen out of shock and fear. Katie's eyes were closed, and her whole body was trembling as she held Sean's arm in a death grip. Angel's eyes were bright with tears, and Darwin could see her knees trembling from where he stood. Sean was just staring at the body, his freckles standing out even more against his pale face.

"Get back!" one agent ordered, pounding on the glass, breaking Sean out of his trance. "Do not leave that room! We're under attack!"

In that moment, the red smoke appeared again, forming into a red-skinned man with a tail. Katie gasped, her nails digging into Sean's arm again. Angel stumbled back, and Darwin grabbed her arm, steadying her before she tumbled down over the chair nearby.

"Behind you!" warned Darwin, his voice blending as the others warned the agents at the same time.

As he kept his gaze on the red-skinned man, Darwin pulled Angel back to where the others had gone, and pushed Sean over as well. The red head stumbled, grabbing onto Katie's arm as he did so and pulled her with him. As the gunshots went off, several cries of surprise escaped the mutants as they all dove for the cover behind the couches. Sean pushed Katie ahead of him, over the couch and onto Alex, as he himself dove over.

Darwin remained in a half standing position, close to the group, trying to both shield his fellow mutants and keep an eye on the situation at hand. He was the oldest here, he had to do something to protect them. His eyes widened as he watched the red skinned attacker both fight and win against the soldiers, successfully forcing the aim of one of the guns towards the windows. Darwin dove down, arms over his head.

More screams came from the group as the bullets shattered the glass as easily as Sean's scream had two days earlier. As the red-skinned mutant continued his fighting, a loud, almost wind-like noise startled Darwin enough to cause him to look to the other side of the building. What he saw shocked him more just as much as everything else that had been going on that night.

"Oh, God," whispered Katie, who was pressed between Sean and Alex. The small blond girl was crying softly, and Sean's arm was around her, his face pale and terrified.

If Darwin knew any better, he would have said that it was a tornado. But now, with a mutant attacking this base, he knew that it wasn't anything natural. Darwin gritted his teeth as he remained where he was, promising himself that the others would make it through this alright. Even if he died trying, the others would make it out of this alive.

The group all watched in horror as the tornado-like storm whirled over the grass field, crashing right into Cerebro. Out of the corner of his eyes, Darwin say Hank wince heavily, and knew that years of Hank's work had just been destroyed in a few short moments.

"What the hell is going on?" Caroline demanded, her voice higher-pitched than usual as she leaned against the couch. She glanced directly behind her at Alex, whose face was just as pale as anyone else's. He didn't reply. The former prison inmate only swallowed and squeezed her hand again. It was that moment that Darwin realized that Alex hadn't let it go since the first body had dropped.

Almost desperately, Darwin glanced over towards the door. Biting his lip, he forced himself to take a calming breath. They were under attack, but it seemed that the agents on base were the ones being attacked. It was in that moment that the truth hit Darwin like a cascade of cold water.

"They're after us," Darwin whispered, realizing too late that he had muttered it out loud.

"What?" Raven demanded as she stared up at him. The others looked up at him in horror as well, and Darwin swallowed before turning sharply back to look at the courtyard to their right.

The red-skinned mutant had appeared again, and had continued his fight, this time using two swords. Not one soldier was able to face the mutant without meeting his death, and as he watched the murders one at a time, Darwin gritted his teeth, knowing that he had to do something.

"Stay here my ass!" he growled, attracting the attention of the others. "Let's go!"

Darwin grabbed the back of Alex's shirt, pulling up both him and Caroline. He pushed them ahead, pointing towards the doors on the other side of the room. The two bolted for them, following quickly by Sean, Katie, and Angel. A moment later, Darwin pushed ahead Raven and Hank. As soon as the whole group was through the doors, Darwin rushed forward, putting himself at the front of the line and more importantly, in front of Alex and Caroline.

The group hurried down the hall, but slowed to a stop only a few yards into the dark corridor. A group of three agents stood ready with their weapons, and one had turned when he had heard the footsteps of the mutants. "Get back!" he ordered, pushing Darwin away from the makeshift blockade.

"We can help!" protested Alex, trying to fight his way against the hold of one of the soldiers.

The protest did not last long. They had only been in the hallway for a few moments when an orange glow came from the opposite way the mutants had come from. A surge of heat rushed through the hallway, drawing gasps and screams from the mutants. Heads were covered as the heat passed over them, and when it passed, no time was wasted getting away. The group immediately retreated back into the lounge.

Sean, Katie, and Darwin were the last ones to head back into the main room. Only a few feet from the door, Katie tripped and landed hard on the ground, yelping as a snap tore through the air. Sean froze on the spot, turning around and grabbing Katie's arm, pulling her up. Darwin hurried to the two, helping Katie to her feet. The blond gave a cry of pain as she put weight on her left ankle. The two remaining male mutants both nodded before Darwin picked up Katie, putting her on Sean's back.

The three raced back into the room, only to realize when they joined the others that they had been trapped. The tornado had completely torn up Cerebro, and spun closer to the window. On the other side, the red skinned mutant continued his slaughter, fighting until each of the soldiers had fallen. The girls screamed again as the funnel shot a dead man through the window, hitting the floor hard as a sickening snap resonated through the room. The last living soldier in the courtyard fell as the red-skinned mutant appeared again, stabbing him through with a sharp blade.

The mutants backed up against the wall, and Sean let Katie gently down to the ground. She clutched the his shirt desperately for both support and comfort, and he could distinctly feel a wet spot on his shoulder, where Katie's head had been moments before.

The tornado disappeared quickly, revealing a Hispanic man in a suit. He walked calmly into the room, stepping over the body as he regarded the mutants with polite curiosity. The red skinned mutant didn't enter right away. Instead, he disappeared in a cloud of red, only to reappear a few moments later with another person in tow.

The mutant's tail was around the brunette's neck, and the newest arrival gave a gasp as he was released and tossed onto the ground. Chocolate brown eyes narrowed angrily at the red skinned mutant, and he then glanced towards the group. His face fell when he saw them, and his eyes closed for a few moments before opening against, glancing sharply towards the door as the sound of gunshots came through the air. Several of the girls screamed again.

"You want the mutants?" one of the soldiers in the hallway asked, his voice desperate and afraid. "They're right through that door!" Caroline's jaw dropped, and Raven gritted her teeth at the sound of the betrayal. "Just let us normal people go. We're not a threat-" The voice was cut off as a death rattle cut through the air.

A moment later, the doors opened. An average height man wearing a metallic gray helmet walked in, looking completely calm. He frowned as he looked at the group of mutants, as if he was looking for one in particular. The mutants stared back, though only Darwin and Hank seemed to be openly glaring at the dangerous new arrival.

"Where's the telepath?" the man in the helmet asked calmly, looking towards the dark-haired teenager on the ground.

The young man glared back over at him with unbridled hatred. "Screw you," he growled, his voice somewhat weak. No matter how weak his voice was, however, his voice held an almost tangible anger.

The man in the helmet sighed. "Azazel," he said, looking towards the red-skinned mutant.

The sword-toting attacker seemed to almost sigh in exasperation before stepping forward, his tailing shooting forward and wrapping around the teen's neck. His chocolate colored eyes widened as it squeezed, cutting off air from the young man. He struggled heartily for a few seconds as his face slowly becoming white, but soon enough, his struggles ceased as his brown eyes began to close.

Azazel sighed before releasing the teen, who slumped forward, breathing heavily. "Screw. You," he snarled again, glaring furiously towards the man.

"You're too much like your brother, Daniel," muttered the man. He sighed, almost disappointed, before looking at the group. "I didn't want to do this, I really didn't. But if you won't respond to yourself in physical pain, maybe you'll respond to an innocent in pain…" His gaze went to Katie, the smallest and youngest of the group, who was crying silently both out of fear and the pain in her ankle.

Sean noticed immediately, and pushed Katie behind him even more, his eyes turning fierce as he openly glared at the helmet clad man. Alex stepped forward as well, his eyes narrowing protectively. On the ground, Daniel glanced towards the group, slight panic visible on his face, before his shoulders slumped. He gave a defeated sigh.

"He's not here," he admitted, his voice quiet. Daniel's glare remained as hateful as ever as he continued to keep it steady towards the man. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Too bad," muttered the man, looking disappointed. He shrugged before pulling off his helmet. "At least I can take this silly thing off." Cradling the helmet in his hands, he stepped forward, looking at each of the mutants in turn.

"Good evening," he greeted politely, shooting them a smile that almost appeared to be warm. "My name is Sebastian Shaw."

Darwin's blood turned to ice water. He glared openly at the man as everything began to make sense. This was the man that they had been recruited to fight. This was the man who just slaughtered dozens of innocent men, women, and children. This was the man that had killed Miranda's husband and son. This man was the enemy.

"And I am not here to hurt you," Shaw finished, shooting an amused look towards Daniel as the teenager gave a disbelieving laugh.

"Freeze!"

The mutants present glanced towards the other side of the courtyard, where the sole survivor of the slaughter stood, his gun pointed towards the lounge. "Azazel," Shaw said in an almost bored voice.

Azazel disappeared in red smoke, reappearing behind the soldier. A scream signaled the end of the human's life as the blade ran through his body. Darwin returned his glare to Shaw as the man's body fell to the ground with a dull thud. Azazel reappeared in his previous position a moment later. Daniel just stared at Azazel before returning his attention and glare back to Shaw.

Shaw shook his head before stepping forward. The Hispanic man also stepped forward, taking the helmet from Shaw as it was handed to him. "My friends," Shaw said, looking at them each in turn. "There is a revolution coming. When mankind discovers who we are." He looked to Sean and Katie, who gripped the red head's shirt tighter. "What we can do." He looked at Alex, who glared openly and refused to move from his position. Caroline swallowed nervously, gripping Alex's hand. "Each of us will make a choice. Be enslaved." Shaw looked to Darwin, whose glare seemed to turn darker than before. "Or rise up to rule. Choose freely, but know that if you are not with us, by definition you are against us."

Katie glanced over towards Daniel, staring at him before remembering the teenager that Miranda had told them about, with a wisecracking wit and chocolate colored eyes who was currently in Shaw's captivity. It was in that moment that Katie realized who she was looking at.

As Daniel looked look at her, pain in his eyes, she mouthed, 'Daniel Holloway?'

Daniel hesitated before nodding. He glanced over towards Shaw before mouthing back, 'Tell Miranda I'm sorry'.

The plea in his eyes broke Katie's heart. She swallowed once, grasping the back of Sean's shirt all the harder, as she nodded. Her eyes sent a promise back to Daniel as several tears escaped her face. 'She'll save you,' she mouthed back over, swallowing.

Her heart dropped as Daniel smiled sadly and mouthed, 'No, she won't.'

Oblivious to the entire exchange between the two mutants, Shaw continued on, "So, you can stay and fight for the people who hate and fear you…" He paused, smiling as gently at them as a father would with his children. "Or, you can join me and live like kings…" Shaw turned his gaze to Angel, who swallowed and looked down. "And queens," he added, holding his hand out to the former stripper.

It only took a few seconds of hesitation before Angel took his hand. Daniel shook his head, gritting his teeth as Azazel picked him up by the back of his shirt and pulled him through the window and onto the grass. The mutants watched in horror as Angel followed Shaw over, her hand in his the entire time.

"Angel," whispered Raven, pain written clearly on her face.

"Are you kidding me?" Sean demanded, his voice hoarse. His freckles stood out now more than ever. The others seemed to be just as horrified.

"Come on," Angel said firmly, looking at her friends, determination etched into every feature of her pretty face. "Wee don't belong here." She raised her head as she firmly added, "And that's nothing to be afraid of."

Darwin stared at her before offering her hand. He had promised that he was going to take care of everyone. He didn't think that Angel would be able to betray them like this. They had bonded in the past week. They had become close, freaks of a feather together. But now, she was leaving them. She shook her head firmly, rejecting Darwin's hand, and followed Shaw out of the room and into the courtyard.

Once again, Miranda's words echoed through Darwin's head. He had promised her that he would protect the others while they were gone. He was failing. Angel was willingly going off with the man they were trying to fight. Daniel, Miranda's own brother-in-law, was right in front of them, and they had no way of trying to help him. The group was scared, and every human in the base was dead, including the Agent. He had failed completely.

"We have to do something," Raven whispered, glaring at Angel's retreating back.

"Like what?" Caroline demanded. Her cheek were wet as she watched the scene. "What can we do without getting Angel or Daniel hurt in the crossfire?"

Darwin glanced at Alex. Realization crossed Alex's eyes a moment later, and he shook his head firmly, hitting Darwin hard on the chest and gesturing towards Daniel. "Angel's made her choice," Alex growled in reply to Caroline, keeping his voice low for fear of being heard. "But we try anything, Daniel doesn't get hurt, he gets _killed _in the crossfire."

Darwin glanced over at the teenager, who was staring back at them. For a few moments, the eyes of the two mutants met, and Darwin realized that there was a blessing in his eyes, along with a plea for it all to end. Darwin nodded grimly, signaling that he understood what the younger mutant had meant. Daniel nodded once, his chocolate brown eyes hard and accepting.

"He doesn't care," Katie whispered, staring at Daniel. She exchanged a look of horror with Sean before looking back at Darwin and Alex. "He doesn't care."

Darwin shot a warning look at Alex before stepping towards Shaw. "Wait," he called out, stepping over the window and towards the group. Alex closed his eyes, shaking his head, before looking at Caroline, who swallowed heavily. "I'm coming with you."

Angel smirked as Shaw smiled warmly at Darwin. "Good choice," he said. On the other side of Azazel, directly behind Shaw, Daniel swallowed, preparing for what he knew would probably be his death. "What's your mutation?" Shaw asked, looking over Darwin.

"I adapt to survive," Darwin replied. He could faintly hear the others moving behind him. A few seconds later, they stood in the middle of the room, Alex in the front. Hank and Sean had moved Katie in front of the taller man, supported by both Hank and Raven. "So I guess I'm coming with you."

Shaw nodded as he joined hands with Angel and Azazel. Azazel was holding Daniel's arm firmly, as was the Hispanic man. Daniel swallowed heavily before looking at Alex. For a moment, the two teenagers stared at each other, and a mutual respect passed through their gazes right before the signal for chaos was given.

"Alex!" Darwin yelled out.

"Get out!" Alex bellowed. Hank picked up Katie immediately, pulling her over to behind the bar in the corner of the room, followed quickly by Sean and Raven. Caroline hesitated for a moment, finally letting go of Alex's hand as she dove behind the chair right behind him. She didn't care if she was in danger right now; she was not going to abandon Alex or Darwin.

"Do it!" Darwin shouted as he grabbed Angel and pulled her away. His back transformed into a rock hard shield as Alex unleashed his destructive power towards Shaw. Daniel covered his face, prepared to for the pain to come before death finally claimed him. The precognitive mutant froze a few seconds later when he realized that he was alive.

Daniel straightened in horror as he watched Shaw absorb Alex's blast. Alex's face had turned pale, and Caroline's head had poked up from her hiding space. Her eyes widened in horror at the site, and the now horrible, familiar feeling that came with tragedy entered Daniel's gut as his precognitive power took affect.

"No," Daniel whispered, knowing that someone would die tonight.

Azazel pulled Angel away from Darwin. Janos's hold on Daniel's arm increased significantly, preventing any attempt at escape. Daniel's gaze went to Alex and Caroline, who stood out in the open, perfect for an attack by Shaw. A moment later, his precognitive ability took shape before his eyes, and he realized whose life was about to end.

"Protecting your fellow mutants?" Shaw asked as Alex's energy disappeared into his body. He smiled grimly at the blond, who swallowed nervously, yet stood his ground. "That's a noble gesture." He smirked. "Feels good."

Darwin launched himself forward, throwing a punch. Shaw easily stopped it, grabbing Darwin's face in his hand. A ball of red energy that Alex immediately recognized as his own appeared in Shaw's hand, and the mutant leader looked at Darwin with contempt.

"Adapt to this," he whispered, pushing the ball of energy down the mutant's throat.

Horrors crossed the faces of the three younger mutants watching. Daniel swallowed heavily, his eyes closing as he realized that Darwin's fate was sealed. Angel looked remorseful, but did not move from her position. Alex's eyes widened, and his body seemed to be frozen. Caroline gasped softly, her hand going to her mouth as body trembled.

A moment later, as if nothing had happened, Shaw took Angel and Azazel's hands calmly. Azazel grabbed Daniel's arm, and the four, plus Janos, disappeared in Azazel's red smoke, leaving nothing behind to indicate their presence than the slaughter around them.

Caroline stood on shaky feet, watching with Alex as Darwin's body shifted through several different forms in a matter of seconds, struggling to adapt to the energy within him. It only took a few seconds before Caroline realized that his body wasn't trying to find a way to survive the blast that was sure to come in a few moments.

His mutation was trying to find a way to keep the blast contained.

Darwin looked over towards the two, straight at Alex. Caroline watched as Alex's shoulders trembled. Darwin almost seemed to smile at Alex for a few moments, as his body turned to a smoke-colored, cracked substance. Light poured out between the cracks, and Caroline reacted on instinct, pulling Alex down as light filled the courtyard and lounge.

A few moments later, it had disappeared. Alex and Caroline remained huddled next to the chair for a second, waiting to be sure that it was over. Alex looked up, his face falling in horror as he saw that Darwin was gone. Where he had been standing moments before was a pile of ash. Caroline looked up, and gave a choked sob, her hand flying to her mouth as tears ran down her face.

Alex stood, taking several shaky steps towards the courtyard. Caroline stood and watched him silently as the others slowly poked their heads up from behind the bar. Raven gave a sob as she saw the ashes on the ground, and Hank gritted his teeth. Sean pulled Katie into a hug as the blond cried silently, though he looked as pale as the others did.

The blond haired teenager reached the ashes after a few quiet steps. As he stood there, staring down at the ashes of Darwin's body, Alex Summers knew that he had just lost a friend and a brother.


	19. Chapter 18

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the late update, but my family's going through a bit of a crisis right now. Updates are going to be a bit slow for the forseeable future, but they aren't going to stop. I just need to focus on the matters at hand, but since the next good bit of the story has some freedom, updates should come more often. Plus, Miranda will get to interact with more people other than Erik. Just wait until you see a few scenes she has with Sean. I think you'll forgive me for the scarce updates.

I want to thank _Schnebz_, though. This chapter is dedicated to you, as a thank you for your amazing support. :) Thanks so much.

I don't own X-Men. Stan Lee, the amazing man that he is, does. I'll take it off his hands if he doesn't want it, but I doubt he's going to give it to a high school student who contents herself writing fanfic. ;) Not that there's anything wrong with that, because this is honestly the best stress reliever I could ever ask for.

Please keep reviewing, guys. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, because I'm so thrilled with how you guys are responding to this, and I can only hope that you keep liking it. I hope you like this most recent chapter, because it was a fun one to write. Hope to hear from you guy soon. :)

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 18<em>

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><p><em>En Route to Virginia<br>__1962_

When the three of them were usually together, they were usually far from silent. Their opinions varied enough so that any conversation was interesting and continuous, normally only stopping upon an agreement to keep disagreeing was reached. A partnership had developed between the three, and they had grown more than comfortable enough with each other, despite the fact that two of the three had already had a successful partnership before the third had come into the picture.

It wasn't only friendship that had developed. Though Miranda and Erik were already unwaveringly loyal to each other, in the short time that they had known him, Charles had become the subject of a new, strong, mutual loyalty. It was almost as though the three of them could do anything together. It was no longer a partnership of two. Instead, it was a trio, a strong trio that could take whatever was thrown at them.

This time, as they waited for news of the recruits' survival, the trio of mutants were silent. This time, it seemed as though they had been stopped in their tracks, both out of surprise and even fear.

After they had landed in Norfolk, they had dropped Emma off in the CIA's custody. Moira had disappeared not long after that, trying to find someone who would be able to update her to the survival of the recruits. Now, over an hour after she had gone to do so, the other three sat in the car, waiting for her to return.

Charles sat in the front seat, staring out the window with a grim look on his face. He couldn't try to telepathically contact his sister or any of the other mutants. They were too far out of his admittedly impressive range. His blue eyes were troubled, and his hand gripped the seat tightly. The thought that his sister in everything but blood could be dead was enough to make Charles feel physically ill.

Miranda sat behind him, her face buried in her hands. Erik sat next to her, a hand on her back as he watched her carefully. He had good reason to be worried about her. On their way out of Russia, Miranda had excused herself on the plane, heading to the bathroom. When she hadn't come back for ten minutes, Erik had decided to check on her.

Erik hadn't known what he should have expected. He knew that she would save her tears until she knew whether or not she had to cry. They didn't know whether or not the recruits were dead. There was still that slim chance that they were safe and alive. But she had been there, watching out the window, a vulnerable and tired look on her face. It was one of the few times he had seen her like this, and it had hurt Erik like nothing else to see her like that.

In their partnership, Erik and Miranda had seen each other at their best and worst. Miranda had seen the rare real smiles that convinced her that Erik actually had a sense of humor, no matter how deep beneath the surface it was buried. Erik had seen the quiet, rare moments in which Miranda showed her nurturing side. Those moments convinced him that she would have made a fantastic mother to Colin. He had seen more of them with the mutants. Sean had already jokingly called her 'Mom' several times, much to Erik and Charles's amusement and Miranda's annoyance.

However, they had also seen each other at their absolute worst. Erik had seen Miranda at her worst in her confrontation with Emma. He had seen the horror in her eyes, the actual fear that came with the realization that the recruits were in danger. Miranda had seen Erik at his darkest more times than he could count and yet she had stuck with him through all these years.

Erik was worried for the recruits. He would never verbally admit it, but they were good kids who could do some pretty amazing things. They could be almost entertaining at times. At the moment, however, he was more worried for Miranda and Charles. Raven was Charles's adoptive sister; Erik didn't want to think about how Charles would react if something had happened to her, let alone any of the other kids.

Miranda was already anxious enough. She had bonded with these kids in the short time that she had known them. Erik didn't want to watch what would happen with her if one of the kids was hurt or worse. Erik knew that Miranda kept her promises, and was stubborn when it came to them. After all, she had been hunting Shaw for several years now. Erik had no doubt that she would carry out her threat to Emma if any of them were hurt.

Miranda's shaky sigh broke Erik out of his thoughts as she leaned back against the seat. Erik removed his hand from her back, watching her carefully. Miranda's green eyes met Erik's blue for a moment, and his hand moved almost on its own, squeezing her thigh gently in what he hoped would both comfort and calm her a bit.

Miranda just watched him, swallowing heavily, before she settled her gaze on his face. For a moment, Erik had the uneasy feeling that usually came when someone was studying him closely. A moment later, Miranda's hand took his own, and she squeezed it once, taking a deep breath to keep herself calm.

It in that moment that the front door on the driver's side opened. Charles jumped, startled, before his head whipped to Moira. Through the rearview mirror, Erik frowned as he realized that Moira's eyes were slightly red. Miranda seemed to notice it as well, and the grip on Erik's hand grew almost painful. He watched her carefully as Miranda shifted forward, staring at Moira intently.

"Are they alright?" Charles asked, breaking the tense silence that had occupied the car for so long. Moira looked at him, her face heartbroken. Charles's own face fell, and he swallowed nervously.

Moira took a shaky breath. "All of the agents on base are dead," she started. She could almost feel the shock coming from the mutants, from even Erik. He had known that Shaw was more than capable of murder, but to kill every agent at the base was nothing short of a slaughter.

"Even the Agent?" Miranda asked, thinking back to the last conversation that she had with him. The Agent had told her about what David had done before his death, and though it hadn't been a long talk, it had been enough for Miranda to gain at least some peace when it came to David. She didn't want him to be dead, not when she knew that there was a lot more she could find out about her deceased husband.

Moira nodded in confirmation. "He was one of the first to die," she whispered. She looked back at Charles, sympathy and sadness on her face as she added, "Darwin's dead."

Silence returned to the car, this time in the form of grief and shock. Charles's face fell, and he closed his eyes as he tried to comprehend the fact that a man he had seen alive and well days before was now dead. Miranda leaned back against the seat, her green eyes closing. The grip on Erik's hand loosened enough for blood to begin circulating again, and he winced slightly at the release of pressure. As Miranda opened her eyes a few moments later, she looked back at Moira.

"What about the others?" she asked in a low, rough voice. Erik had no doubt that Charles and Moira could tell that she was forcing herself not to cry.

"Angel's gone." Moira's voice was emotionless, and Erik realized that the CIA agent had actually forced all the emotion out of her voice when she had spoke.

Miranda just stared at Moira for a few seconds. "Both of them?" she whispered. "Why would Shaw kill-"

"Angel isn't dead."

Moira's tone was almost angry for a moment, and Erik frowned as the mask of impartiality blew over. Realization came over him, and for a moment, Erik was angry. Going by logic, if Angel was gone and she wasn't dead, there was only one place she could be. And judging by the anger in Moira's voice, Erik knew that his assumption had to be correct.

"She went with Shaw willingly." Erik's voice was harder than steel, and for a moment, Moira swore she could hear parts of the car vibrating. She looked around sharply, and then glanced in surprise at Erik, who seemed to realize what had happened and took a deep breath. The car stopped vibrating a second later.

"She wouldn't do that," Miranda protested immediately. She looked at Erik, and she shook her head. "Angel wouldn't do that, Erik. She wouldn't…"

"She did, Miranda," Moira replied. She gripped the wheel tightly. "I was talking to one of the other agents who came after the attack, and Katie took the phone. She explained what happened. Shaw was there to recruit them, and he succeeded with Angel." For a moment, she hesitated, and then added, "Darwin died trying to keep her from going with Shaw. He was protecting them the entire time."

This was too much to process at once. It had only been a few days since they had taken that trip to DC, had a water balloon fight in front of the Lincoln Memorial, and had discovered the scene of chaos that was the lounge when the mutant recruits were done with it. Now, Angel had joined the enemy and Darwin was dead.

She had been scolding Darwin the last time that she had spoken with him. Miranda wished that she had said something more. No, instead, she had told Darwin that he had the most common sense out of everyone there.

Miranda swallowed heavily. "The last thing I said to Darwin was to take care of the others," she whispered. Guilt formed a dead weigh in her gut as she remembered her last conversation with the now deceased mutant. "I told him why we were mad, and to watch the others, and make sure that they didn't cause any more chaos."

"I wish I would have said something," Moira murmured. Her grip on the wheel tightened. "The last time I saw them, I was yelling at them. I… I don't know, they were just being kids…"

"We did what we needed to," Erik interjected. He met Moira's gaze in the rearview mirror as he explained, "Miranda talked to them after we left, explained why you were mad. They understood. Their actions not only caused a lot of damage, but put themselves in danger."

Moira shook her head. "That doesn't make me feel any less guilty." She hesitated as she bit the inside of her cheek. "Katie wasn't able to tell me everything," she added. She ran a hand through her straight brown locks as she continued, "She's… she's freaking out about this. I don't blame her. She's sixteen years old. Actually, I'm freaking out about this."

"I think we all are," Miranda whispered. She bit her lip. "What are we going to do?"

"Send them home." Charles's reply was immediate and firm. "We're not going to keep them with this mission if it means their lives are at risk. We'll make arrangements. We can get Sean and Katie back to Boston by tonight…"

"What about the others?" Miranda asked. Her tone had taken a sharp edge, which Erik immediately recognized as a sign of Miranda's protectiveness shining through. "Caroline gave up everything in her life for this. She quit her job, she left her apartment. This program has been in Hank's life a lot longer than we have been." She stopped for a minute before whispering, "And we are _not _sending Alex back to prison."

Charles hesitated. She was right. They couldn't send him back to prison, not when he had been offered this chance to do something with his life. It wasn't fair to Alex, but Charles knew that they didn't have much choice. This attack could have gone more wrong than it had. They had lost two of their recruits, but it could have gotten worse. All of them could have been slaughtered, and yet, Shaw had left them alive.

"We'll figure it out when we get there," Charles relented, sighing quietly.

Moira hesitated again. "There's more."

"Great," Erik muttered, unable to think of how this situation could get worse. One of their recruits was dead, and the other had gone with Shaw. Erik honestly could not see how things could get worse from here. "What else?"

Moira twisted in her seat to look at Miranda. "Shaw brought Daniel to the attack. He's still alive."

Miranda froze, staring in shock at the CIA agent. "Why did he bring Daniel?" she demanded, her voice emotionless. Panic overtook her face as she whispered, "Moira… Daniel's not…"

"Daniel isn't willing working for Shaw," Moira assured her. Charles shot her a confused look before she explained, "Katie was and still is hysterical, I couldn't get a lot out of her… but Daniel was brought in, and Shaw asked him if any of the recruits were telepathic. He refused to answer, and one of Shaw's mutants… Azazel, she said the name was-"

"The red one?" Miranda asked sharply, frowning at Moira. "He's the one who attacked me on the boat in Miami." Erik scowled angrily as her hand went unconsciously to her neck and the now healing bruises that had once formed a detailed ring. "What did he do?"

"He almost strangled Daniel, but Shaw made him stop."

"He's torturing him to do his dirty work," Erik muttered, rage building as he saw Miranda's hand shooting off tiny blue sparks.

"No." Moira sounded almost regretful for a second. She shook her head as she started the car. For a few moments, the car was silent as Moira drove out of the parking lot of the CIA office, towards a road that Charles knew led back to the base. "Daniel refused to do it even after Azazel tried to strangle him. He only did it when Shaw threatened Katie."

"Why Katie?" Miranda asked, a worried frown marring her face as she wondered why the youngest of the group would be singled out by Shaw.

"She's the youngest. She's only sixteen," Charles murmured. He looked at Miranda, and she saw the genetics professor she knew he was shining through. "Out of the group, she also has the least control over her powers. Katie has the potential to be powerful, but she's only had her powers for a few months. She doesn't know what she's capable of yet."

"I think he took into account the fact that her ankle is sprained," Moira added. At Charles's questioning look, she explained, "She fell when they were trying to get out of the lounge. It didn't work, but she managed to sprain her ankle in the process."

"Only Katie," muttered Erik, remembering when the younger girl had mentioned that she was a klutz. That, of course, had been five minutes before she had tripped over her own two feet and had managed to take Sean down with her. "Are the others unharmed?"

"Sean, Hank, Alex, Raven, and Caroline are all completely unharmed," Moira replied, feeling a bit of relief when Charles's body seemed to relax instantly at the confirmation that his sister was alive and unharmed. "They're all waiting for us." She hesitated. "We can't put them in danger."

"What do we do, then?" Miranda asked. She shook her head, staring out the window. "We can't send Alex back to prison, not when he just got out."

"Sean and Katie have to go back to Boston," Moira interrupted. She looked faintly worried. "That's a long drive, and we don't have a lot of time right now. We didn't have much to start with, but we can't waste any more time."

"We can get another agent to do it," Charles suggested.

"And give Shaw a chance to take them both?" Erik asked. He scowled slightly, and then looked towards the front. "If Shaw found out that we sent Sean and Katie back to Boston, he would be after them in minutes. Shaw's powerful enough; he doesn't need two more allies with potentially devastating powers."

"How would he find out?" Miranda asked. She sighed before looking back at Erik. "I don't know what we'll do with the others, but sending Sean and Katie home at least might be the best idea." She hesitated. "If we need to… if we didn't have another choice… we could send Alex, Hank, and Caroline to my parents' house. It's in Norfolk."

"Would they mind taking in four rather than three?" Charles asked after a few seconds.

"I don't think Raven would take kindly to that," Erik muttered, remembering the loyalty and love that the shapeshifter held for her older brother.

"I don't care," Charles replied, his voice a bit harder. "If we're sending all of the recruits somewhere else, then Raven is going with them. She's my sister, and I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

"Look, how about we just wait until we get there?" Moira asked, the sound of her sharp voice breaking the argument. "Sending them home might be the best idea, but keep in mind, only Sean and Katie can be sent home. Everyone else is legally an adult, they can make their own choices." For a moment, she paused, but then added, "And even if we did decide just to send the two of them home, do you honestly see Sean and Katie leaving quietly?"

"Kicking and screaming, and we know what happens when Sean screams," Miranda muttered dryly.

For a few minutes, as Moira continued driving, her hands on the wheel in a death grip, the quartet of adults were silent again. Thoughts ran through all of their heads during that silent, but one thought seemed to linger longer in each of their minds than any other. It took a few minutes before the sole female mutant present found the courage to ask the one question on all of their minds.

"Why would she do that?" Miranda whispered, breaking the silence. For a moment, the image of a smiling, tanned girl appeared in her mind. The look on Angel's face as she had met the others burned through her memory. For a few moments, all Miranda could remember was the look on Angel's face as she finally realized that she was not alone.

Though she had let go of his hand earlier, Erik took Miranda's hand in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. After a moment, Miranda squeezed back, and met Erik's gaze with her own. The two were silent, but Miranda still took comfort in the small gesture of kindness he had just given her. Despite that, she did not let go of his hand, nor did he try to pull it away.

"I don't know," Charles whispered after a few moments of contemplative silence. Moira's hand slowly came off the wheel and took Charles's hand in her own. For a moment, the two exchanged a serious glance before Charles whispered again, "I don't know."

* * *

><p><em>CIA Research Base, Virginia<br>__1962_

Silence seemed to be a common companion for mutants at the moment. As they sat outside the ruins of the research base, the six remaining recruits were completely silent, both out of exhaustion and shock of the events of the previous night. Movement buzzed around them as agents examined the scene and discussed what would be done next, but none of them were paying any attention to the shocked mutants.

Sean sat at the very end of the bench, leaning forward, the exhausted bags under his eyes hidden by a pair of sunglasses. Katie sat next to him, leaning back, her head on Alex's shoulder and her other hand encased in Sean's. Caroline sat on Alex's other side, watching the blond mutant carefully. One hand rested on his back. Raven sat between the former waitress and an exhausted looking Hank. Her shoulder rested on Hank's shoulder.

Alex's attention was taken by the small plastic container in his hands. He stared at it, gazing down at the ashes that in it. Though he had been numb for most of the night after Shaw had left, Alex still had some sense of mind. It had been enough to help Hank bandage up Katie's sprained ankle. Though the group had left the lounge after the agents had begun to arrive on the scene, Alex had still had the sense of mind to find a plastic container.

He had hesitated at first, but Alex had eventually been able to carefully transfer Darwin's ashes from the body-littered ground to the plastic container, promising himself that the brave mutant that had sacrificed his life to save them would get a proper burial.

After that, he had gone back into what had been the girls' room. The six remaining mutants had spent the night there. None of them had felt safe staying alone, but none of them had gotten any sleep. They had just sat in the silence. Not many words had been spoken between them since everything that had happened. Katie had mentioned a few hours ago that she had managed to steal a few minutes on the phone when Moira had called one of the agents, and the knowledge that the adults were on their way brought some comfort to the group.

The sound of an approaching car caught Caroline's attention. She looked up sharply as a black car pulled up. As she watched, the two doors on the passengers' side opened, revealing Miranda and Charles. Both hurried towards where the group was sitting, while Erik and Moira got out of the car on the other side, quickly following the two others.

"Raven!" Charles exclaimed as he hurried over. Miranda was directly behind him, with Moira and Erik not far behind. Raven stood up, tears in her eyes as she hugged her brother tightly.

Miranda reacted on instinct as she rushed forward towards the teenagers. "Thank God," she whispered. Alex stood hesitantly as Miranda approached, and blinked in surprise as he was pulled into a tight hug. After a few seconds, he hugged back, feeling a rush of fondness for the woman hugging him.

"I'm alright, Mom," he joked quietly, though the bitterness was easily heard in his voice.

"Thank God," repeated Miranda, pulling away. After a second, Miranda swatted the blonde's arm with narrowed eyes. "And don't call me Mom." She looked towards the others, and then reached out and squeezed Katie's shoulder, giving her and Sean a shaky smile before directing it towards Caroline and Hank.

Erik and Moira hung back, watching the group carefully. Though the four had finally been able to agree that sending the recruits home would be the best idea, both had a feeling that it would be protested heavily. Erik wondered whether it was actually necessary to send them home, while Moira knew that, while she couldn't do much, she would do everything she could to help.

Charles released Raven in that moment, and then looked at the others. "We're making arrangements for you to be sent home immediately," he began, knowing instantly from the looks on their faces that they were going to fight this decision.

"We're not going home," Sean said immediately, confirming Charles's prediction within a few seconds. He looked to Alex for a second before adding, "He's not going back to prison."

"We're not sending him back to prison, no matter what," Miranda interrupted. She shot a look towards Alex before explaining, "This is for your safety." She scowled for a second as she realized that she was going back and forth on whether or not sending these kids home was a good thing. She wanted to protect these kids, but letting them out of her sight wasn't something that she was keen to do at the moment.

"He killed Darwin!" Alex protested, staring at Charles as though he was crazy.

"All the more reason for you to leave," Charles replied, his voice holding no room for compromise. He looked to Sean and Katie first. "We're going to send you both home first. You'll leave in a few hours."

After directing a disapproving frown towards the telepath, Katie looked at Sean. "I don't know about you, but since Shaw killed a good friend, I'm not going to leave until we finish what we started," she said in a conversational tone. She almost seemed to be ignoring the looks that Charles was shooting at her. "Even if they put us in a car, I'm jumping out. You with me?"

Sean grinned back. "I knew I was rubbing off on you," he murmured, looking slightly proud. Alex shot the other blond a half impressed, half amused look. Sean looked at Charles, looking smug. "We point blank refuse to go back to Boston, and since we're the only ones who aren't legal adults… then no one's going home."

"Or to prison," corrected Caroline, her eyes narrowing protectively as she glanced at Alex. "You can't make us go home, Charles. We're adults. We choose to stay here."

"You don't know the danger that you're in now," Charles replied sharply.

"Darwin's dead, Charles," Raven interrupted. She shot a hesitant glance towards Alex, who nodded once before looking down at the full plastic container in his hand. "That's all that's left of him, Charles." Tears filled her eyes as she looked back at her brother. "He protected us the entire time, and now all that's left of him are some ashes."

Caroline closed her eyes for a few seconds. "Shaw forced energy down his throat," she explained, her voice quiet and hoarse. Alex flinched slightly, and she grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. "He protected us until the end. His mutation… it was adapting to the energy at the end. But it wasn't adapting to make sure he survived. It was adapting to make sure that it was contained…" She swallowed before whispering, "To makes sure _we _survived."

"And now, you're saying that we have to leave, after Shaw killed Darwin right in front of us," Alex continued. His eyes met Charles's in a challenge as he continued, "Darwin and I tried to attack Shaw. It was my power's energy that got shoved down his throat. It was my power that _killed _him." He glared at Charles, anger in his eyes. "We have a right to be here until the end. He _murdered _Darwin."

"We can't even bury his body," Raven whispered, finally looking away from the plastic container.

"We can avenge him," Erik offered, his gaze focused on Alex. Alex looked up sharply at him, rapt attention on his face, and the others all turned their attention to him. Miranda watched her partner carefully for a moment.

This just made her want Shaw dead more. Darwin had been a good man. He had given up everything in his life to join this cause, and it had cost him his life. Maybe it was the guilt she felt about her last words to Darwin. Maybe it was the fact that these kids had just experienced so much more than anyone of any age should. Either way, Miranda wanted Shaw dead even more than before.

"Erik, a word." Charles's voice was sharp with a warning, and as he took a few steps away from the group, Erik followed, shooting Miranda a glance before following the telepath.

As Charles and Erik faced the opposite direction, undertaking a whispered debate, the kids turned their attention back to Miranda and Moira. "You're not going to let them sent us home, are you?" Katie asked, looking worried as she alternated her gaze between the two. "We want to stay." Sean nodded in agreement.

Miranda bit her lip. "We don't want to keep putting your lives in danger," she aid

"They're our lives, aren't they?" Hank asked, finally breaking his silence. Everyone turned to look at him, and he hesitated for a second before adding, "We have a right to choose what to do with them."

Miranda scowled as she realized that the genius mutant had just found a very strong point in favor of the recruits staying. Did she want the kids to stay? Yes. She didn't want to send them away, but if their lives were in danger, she wouldn't hesitate to get them as far away as she possibly could. Biting the inside of her cheek, she glanced back over towards Charles and Erik.

She looked over towards Charles and Erik as they turned back around.

"We'll have to train," Charles said. Looks of interest lit up the faces of the kids, and the telepath turned his gaze to Miranda and his sister for a second before adding, "All of us." He looked back to the recruits. "Yes?"

"Yeah," agreed Alex. For a second, his grip on the plastic container tightened, but he nodded firmly to himself. "Absolutely."

"We're in," Caroline added. She exchanged a look with Katie and Raven. Both of the other girls nodded eagerly.

We can't stay here," Hank mentioned. He shot a remorseful glance towards the ruins of the once grand building. "Even if they reopen the department, it's not safe. We have nowhere to go."

A simple smile came over Charles's face as he looked over towards his sister. Almost instantly, Raven seemed to brighten up, staring at Charles in amazement. "We do," she whispered, looking much happier than a few minutes ago.

Charles's smile grew. "Yes," he confirmed. He looked at the confused looks on the faces of the others before repeating, "We do."


	20. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** So the family problems are taken care of. That's the good news. The bad news is that on Sunday night I got really sick, and I've been able to do nothing for the past three days. I did write most of this out, but I unfortunatley was distracted because my mom decided to get me Dragon Age: Origins as a 'get-better-soon-present'. Yeah. It's a great game. Just impossible to stop playing. Updates will still be a bit scattered thanks to all the make up work I need to get done, but I do need to focus on catching up for school.

But here's a new chapter! :D For those of you who enjoy the Erik/Miranda moments... well, read below for more of them. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I love hearing what you guys have to say, and it's great to hear that you guys are enjoying this. And thanks to everyone who has subscribed, read, or favorited, too. That means a lot to me.

I don't own X-Men. I'd love to own it, though, along with half a dozen other fandoms. If I could choose two, though, it'd be the X-Men universe and the Dragon Age universe. But yeah, I don't own either.

Please review, and enjoy, everyone. :)

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 19<em>

* * *

><p><em>State College, Pennsylvania<em>  
><em>1962<em>

"We are not stopping in State College."

"What's wrong with State College? It seems like a nice town."

"It's kind of cute… it's just based around the college here, right?"

"And that's the whole problem."

"Wait, you're not actually from the Pittsburgh area, are you?"

"Yep."

"Okay, that actually make sense."

"Yeah."

"Alex, I congratulate you for making a stand."

"Thank you."

"And I applaud your loyalty to your hometown."

"Thanks again."

"But we're still stopping in State College."

"If I ever go home and my mom refuses to let me into the house because she can sense I've been in enemy territory, it's completely your fault, Miranda."

"I can live with that."

Erik rolled his eyes as he followed the cars in front of him into a diner's parking lot. "Dare I ask what that conversation was about?" he asked Miranda in a low tone, shooting a glance towards the backseat, where Alex sat scowling and Caroline sat giggling.

"College football rivalries," Miranda explained, smiling as she was reminded of simpler days, where the most important things were football games, friends, and getting good grades. "Granted, I grew up south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but there were some pretty intense bets about who would come out on top, Penn State or Pitt."

Caroline glanced over towards Alex. "Aren't they planning on a game for November?" she asked.

Alex scowled, though there was a hint of humor behind it that Miranda was beyond glad to see. For the past few hours, he had been almost completely silent. The whole car ride had been silent, though. Erik had been concentrated on driving, since Moira had insisted on not taking a straightforward drive to where Charles was taking them to, insisting that a twisting trail could give them some cover. Miranda had been deep in thought. Caroline had been fast asleep. And Alex had just stared out the window, his face a blank mask.

At least until five minutes ago, when he finally realized just where they were heading to.

Alex nodded in confirmation. "Yep." A dry smile crossed his face as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "They're going down this time."

Erik shook his head. "I'm amazed at how bored I am just hearing about this rivalry," he muttered as he unbuckled his seatbelt and pulled the keys out. He smiled lightly at hearing Miranda's soft laugh, and opened the door, stepping out at the car as Caroline, Miranda, and Alex did as well.

Alex glanced back in the car for a second, his eyes lingering on the plastic container sitting on the floor, surrounding by pillows. For a second, he wondered if he should bring it in or not. The blonde jumped as a hand touched his shoulder. He glanced over to see Miranda standing there. She shot him a gentle smile before shaking her head. Alex sighed, nodding once before closing his door.

Caroline seemed to have noticed the little exchange, and bit her lip before heading over to grab Alex's arm. Alex blinked in surprise as the former waitress pulled him to one of the two other cars. As they stepped over to the other car, Katie emerged, being helped out by Sean and Hank. Miranda's gaze was captured for a second by Katie's wrapped ankle. Raven stood nearby, smiling cheerfully.

Miranda chuckled slightly before looking over at Erik, who rolled his eyes.

Charles glowered towards Miranda, who grinned slightly to herself at the look on his face. "We're going to stop for the night at a motel Moira knows, about two hours north of here," he explained. He glared towards where Sean was beaming proudly, talking animatedly with Alex. "And you and Erik will be the ones that are driving Sean and Katie there."

Erik shot a teasing grin towards the telepath. "You're having problems handling two teenagers, Charles?" he asked.

"When one of the teenagers is Sean, yes," Charles admitted without shame. He shot another glance towards the teenagers before repeating, "Sean is your problem from this point on."

"Good luck," Moira muttered, running a hand through her auburn hair.

"I think we can handle him," Miranda replied dryly, swatting Charles's arm lightly before turning to the teenagers. "C'mon, kids, into the diner or we'll eat and leave without you."

"Very funny, Mom," Caroline teased, grinning as she squeezed passed Moira into the diner, followed by the recruits.

Miranda froze and glared at Caroline's retreating back before turning towards a smirking Erik and a smiling Charles. "Why do these kids keep calling me Mom?" she demanded, shaking her head in frustration. She ran a hand through her curly dark hair. "I'm not acting that much like a mom!"

"Keep telling yourself that," Charles replied, patting Miranda on the shoulder as he passed. Erik watched as Charles took Moira's arm and pulled her into the diner with a charming smile that the CIA agent immediately returned.

Miranda turned her scowl to Erik. "I'm not acting that much like a mom."

"It's endearing," he assured her, shaking his head. A genuine smile lit up his face, and Miranda found her exasperation disappearing instantly at the sight of that smile.

He turned to walk into the diner, and Miranda hesitated before grabbing the sleeve of his jacket, stopping him just in front of the diner's door. "Wait," she whispered, taking a deep breath as her thoughts from the car came back to her.

Erik turned around, a confused frown set on his face. For a moment, the two watched each other. And then, in a moment that both would later remember as one of the strangest of their lives, both leaned in, their lips meeting in an almost too hard kiss. Miranda's hand grasped the front of Erik's sweater, keeping her balance. Erik's hand went to the center of her back as the kiss deepened, making them oblivious to everything around them.

It was different from their kiss on the plane. Actually, it was different from everything, because Erik was still trying to get used to the fact that his partner was entirely kissable and actually interested in him in that sense. It was almost desperate, and somehow, that reminded him of her, of the mischievous smiles on her face when she teased him, of the determination on her face while on the hunt, of the exasperation on her face when he brought up her fear of water…

Somehow, the kiss felt right in every way possible.

It didn't last long enough for Erik's liking. Only too soon did Miranda's hand release his shirt, and his hand slowly left her back. For a moment, the two stared at each other, and Erik was amused to note that Miranda looked very pleased with herself.

"I thought we were going to wait for this," Erik said, chuckling slightly to himself. Nonetheless, he looked to be slightly pleased, if not a bit surprised.

Miranda bit her lip before looking in the window, where she could clearly see the kids watching them from inside their booth. She shot them a sweet smile as she waved, and Sean grinned cheerfully in return, waving back. Alex rolled his eyes and hit the back of the Boston mutant's head. Erik turned towards them, raising a threatening eyebrow, and the kids immediately dove out of sight, though both could distinctly hear Raven cackling to herself.

Miranda rolled her eyes, a smile remaining on her face as she moved so that Erik's back was facing the kids, effectively hiding her smaller frame and whatever words the two might share. "Look, maybe it's one of those bizarre, life is short realizations, but…" She fidgeted slightly before looking up at Erik. "I want to have something in my life that Shaw isn't involved in."

Erik frowned at her. "Darwin's death affected you more than you've let on," he murmured, concern lighting up his ice blue eyes.

Miranda bit her lip. "Am I going to lie and say that I don't feel guilty about him dying?" she asked, slipping her hand into her coat pocket. For a few seconds, her fingers mindlessly played with her wedding ring, still tied to the inside. "Absolutely not. But…" She paused. "If you look at this logically, Erik, there's a chance that one of us isn't going to make it out of facing Shaw."

Erik's frown only deepened in worry. "Don't say that," he replied, his voice firm and uncompromising. "When we're ready, we'll find him, and it'll all end. I don't know what we'll do after that, but…"

Miranda smiled sadly. "Look, for right now, I'm going to force myself not to worry about that," she interjected gently, taking his hand in hers. "For right now, I'm going to focus on the kids, getting ready, and, if you're willing, you."

Erik watched her. "And when it ends?" he asked, thinking to that future where Shaw would be dead. That future had always seemed so far away, and now, with allies that could help them with things they could not do alone, it seemed close enough to touch.

"Well, as you might have been able to tell, I've actually gotten rather fond of you, so… I don't know. I don't think I'll want to go our own ways when it ends," Miranda replied, her voice trailing off as she studied Erik's face intensely. Her face turned slightly crestfallen as she watched him. "Of course, if you're not interested…"

"Hanson?" Erik cut in, raising an eyebrow at his partner.

Miranda frowned at him. "What, Lensherr?" she demanded, sounding a bit angry at being interrupted.

"Shut up." Her indignant reply was cut off as he leaned in to kiss her again. Miranda instantly went silent, her green eyes slipping shut as she let herself be lost in the moment, however short it might have been.

* * *

><p>"They're so cute!" Katie murmured, grinning as she watched the two through the window.<p>

Raven was absolutely beaming. "Operation Hanson-Lensherr is totally a success," she proclaimed, turning her cheerful grin to faintly amused Hank. She and Caroline, who sat on the other side with Alex in the middle, exchanged a conspiratorial look. "And you dared to doubt it."

"I was wrong, happy?" Hank asked, smiling faintly to himself.

"Very." Raven's grin didn't fade in the least.

Sean shook his head. "Why didn't they just admit it?" he asked. He shook his head before glancing out. The red head sat between Katie and Hank, with Alex right across from him. "I mean, seriously, they've known each other for years, and they're just now admitting they like each other?"

"Because romance is complicated, duh," Katie replied without a pause. She sighed with content before turning back to the table and looking towards Moira and Charles, who were talking quietly to each other. She grinned. "Ah, romance is everywhere now a days." Her gaze went from Caroline to Alex for a second, only to cause both to glare at her fiercely enough to cause her to look to the table.

Alex rolled his eyes. "You know, the more time I spend with these girls, the happier it makes me that I only have two brothers," he told Sean, pulling up a menu to scrutinize carefully.

Sean chuckled. "Can't relate." He gestured towards Katie. "This is actually comforting in some insane way. I have three older sisters at home." He pointed towards Katie. "She's got four older brothers and a sister, which is why we ended up always hanging out as kids. She loved my older sisters, I loved playing with her brothers."

"Plus our moms are best friends and have been conspiring to get Sean and I together since we were kids," Katie added, shaking her head as memories of childhood came back. She smiled slightly out of nostalgia.

"Is that why you two are so clearly in love?" Caroline asked, her tone a combination of teasing and amusement.

"Shut up," both Sean and Katie growled, glaring at each other. Despite being in the middle, Sean edged a bit away from Katie, pushing Hank out of the seat a bit. The scientist shot a glare at the red head as Alex, Caroline, and Raven all giggled.

"You're giggling. That somehow makes me terrified for me life," Miranda noted dryly as she passed the table of kids with Erik. She stopped as Erik, looking somewhat smug, continued on to the four seat table Moira and Charles had claimed not far away, taking the seat across from Charles. "Don't get into trouble, guys."

"Who, us?" Caroline asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought Hank and I had common sense."

"You do," Miranda assured her. Her teasing green eyed gaze moved to Sean and Alex, both of whom had adopted innocent looks on their faces. "I'm talking directly to Sean and Alex here."

"Us?" Sean asked, staring in Miranda in what she imagined was supposed to be an insulted manner. "Have we ever caused any trouble at all?"

Miranda's gaze turned to the red head. "Window." As Sean winced slightly at the memory, Miranda turned her attention back over to Alex. "Statue."

"Okay, she's got a point," Alex conceded, leaning back as he glared at each of the giggling girls in turn. His gaze hardened as he looked to a smug looking Hank, but softened as it went back to Miranda. "I'll behave. So will Sean."

"I give no promises."

"Sean, just remember, she can electrocute you if you piss her off. And if you tick her off, you know who's going to go after your blood, too?" Alex pointed towards Erik, who had been watching the conversation the entire time. The Nazi hunter frowned at the mention of him. "A very, very angry Nazi hunter."

Sean seemed to pale instantly at the thought. "We'll behave," he assured Miranda, shooting her a cheerful smile. "C'mon, Miranda, we know to act in normal society."

Katie stared at him in a state of absolute disbelief. "Then explain the duck incident at last year's homecoming game," she demanded, raising an eyebrow as she waited for Sean's reply. "Because it had your handiwork all over it."

Sean grinned. "Good times," he muttered, shaking his head as the others all shot him looks of mingled respect, amusement, and even horror.

Miranda sighed. "I don't think I want to know." She paused. "Actually, no, I'm sure I don't want to know." She patted Hank on the shoulder. "Hank, I trust you to make sure that we still have all four of those teenagers when the four of us get back from our dinner."

"I'm a scientist, not a miracle worker," Hank replied, glancing at the other recruits.

Raven giggled slightly, shooting Hank an amused smile before turning back to Miranda. "I'll help him," she promised, beaming when Hank grinned over at her.

"Great." Miranda shot the group an easy smile before heading back over to the adults table. Moira, Erik, and Charles all looked at her as she sat down with a sigh. "Those kids are insane," she stated, pointing back to the table. She looked at Charles. "If we're taking Sean, you owe us big time."

"I'm well aware," Charles replied, chuckling to himself. "We were discussing what we were going to do when we reached our destination."

"Which you still refuse to tell us where it is," Moira muttered, rolling her eyes fondly at Charles.

"It's a surprise!" the telepath protested, grinning back at her. "If I told you, it would be ruined."

Erik sighed, a half smirk resting on his face. "As long as it'll work for what we plan to do," he said. He shot a glance towards the table of kids, where Sean and Alex seemed to be building a house of straws, joined by Raven and Katie. "I have a feeling that training them will be rather destructive."

"That's a given," Moira muttered, chuckling to herself as she watched the scene herself.

"They're going to need individualized training," Miranda murmured, taking a menu from the table. "They all need to learn control. Caroline's powers still activate even when she doesn't want them to. Alex doesn't _have _any control. We're not sure what the extent of Katie's power is. Sean… well, Sean is Sean."

"I believe Erik will be able to directly help with Katie, and you with Alex and Caroline," Charles replied, looking at each of the partners in turn. At Erik's questioning look, he explained, "Katie's powers are linked directly to her anger, as are yours." He turned to Miranda. "Your power takes a great deal of control to fully work. Alex's is the same, but you're proof that the control can be learned. Caroline is the same. In fact, her mutation deals with her physicality, as does yours in a sense."

Miranda nodded, though she hadn't understood more of the scientific words that the geneticist had spoken. At that point, the waitress had returned with their drinks. "Sounds good." She glanced towards the others. "What about Raven and Hank? They seem to have a pretty good grasp on what they can do."

"Maybe they could figure out things they didn't know they could do before," Moira suggested. She fidgeted slightly at the attention of the mutants. "Think about it. Hank's feet… I can't even think about how that affects his physical abilities. He'd be a fast runner, I'd bet. And Raven's powers could help a lot."

"Good idea, Moira," Charles praised, looking excited as he smiled cordially at her. He turned to the partners. "We should train ourselves as well." He smiled as he looked at Miranda. "Tell me, have you ever wondered if your powers could grow?"

Miranda frowned. "Maybe once or twice, but they've never given any sign."

"I believe that can," Charles replied, studying Miranda with a knowing smile. "If you could gain even more control and learn where your abilities stem from, I think you could do different things with electricity. Control currents, even throw electricity…"

"I'm in," Miranda interjected, looking excited. She smiled. "That sounds awesome."

"Just what she needs," Erik replied. He rolled his eyes as Miranda swatted his arm, a fond smile on her face. "The ability to throw lightning. She doesn't even have to be close anymore to hit me."

That caused a chuckle around the small table. "We could do that for everyone," Charles replied. He glanced at Erik. "Even you. Your powers are fascinating, actually. I think they could grow a lot more powerful. We can research how the powers affect our genes, how they can grow over time…" He looked more and more excited with each word he spoke.

"And we're stepping close to lab rats with that," Erik muttered. He shot a warning look towards Charles. "If that information gets out to the wrong people, they'll know exactly how to stop us. Never mind if they got a hold of any of the kids or one of us…"

"They won't," Charles assured him. "Figuring out how the powers work is only to be able to help them grow. I swear on my life, they won't get out to the wrong people." His eyes flickered to the other table as the kids exploded into laughter. "They don't deserve what would happen if that research did get out."

"They didn't deserve to go through that," Miranda murmured. Her gaze went to Alex. "He blames himself. He's hiding it, but right now, he feels like it's his fault."

"How do you know?" Moira asked, turning a worried frown to Alex as she contemplated Miranda's words.

The curly-haired brunette smiled sadly. "Because," she explained. "That's exactly how I felt right after David died." She looked at each of the three in turn. "We need to talk to them about what happened. Make sure they feel alright."

"We can do that," Charles replied. He glanced at Moira, and there seemed to be an almost passion in his eyes. It was like this talk was something he had been looking forward to for years. "We all can talk to them. If you can help train them in hand to hand combat and a few other techniques, we could train them into the people we need to help fight Shaw."

Moira nodded. "Absolutely," she replied. She glanced at the kids before looking back at them. "Look, I'm not a mutant, but anything I can do to help, I'll do it."

Miranda grinned. "Our awesome CIA agent," she toasted, raising her glass. Charles chuckled and Erik rolled his eyes as the two mimicked the action. "Seriously, though, your awesomeness is pretty much a mutation on its own, because you're one of the greatest people I've met."

Moira laughed. "Don't forget the hair," she mentioned, shooting a teasing grin to Charles.

Charles groaned. "I admit, it wasn't the best pickup line…" he began, pausing as he saw the highly amused looks on the faces of Erik and Miranda.

Miranda grinned. "I knew you two had a thing."

"We don't!" Moira protested.

"You totally do. Don't deny it."

"Because you and Erik totally deny that you both have a thing."

"Oh, I've admitted that we do. I'm not denying it anymore."

"I'm not denying anything!"

"Moira! You're totally denying it! You're talking to the queen of denial here!"

"Miranda, you have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Oh, Moira, dear, naïve Moira…"

"I swear, Miranda, one day…"

Erik and Charles exchanged an amused glance as the banter between the two women continued. It may as well have been that the two male mutants were not there. "To women," Charles toasted, raising his glass.

"May they someday make more sense than they do now," Erik finished, knowing that his toast was something that would never come true.


	21. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:** No, your eyes are not deceiving you. After over six months of no activity, I've finally finished and uploaded the next chapter for Turning Tables. It's been a long time coming, but due to the fact that life has frankly sucked for the past few months, it's just taken awhile to get my creative juices flowing enough to be able to update this baby.

That being said, I'm pretty happy with this chapter, but considering the fact that fun things start happening next chapter, I thought it would be a good idea to get this updated so that I could get to the fun parts that will quickly start. And yes, that means the mansion, where lots of things happen.

But we do check up with Daniel first, because the Daniel subplot becomes so important for a lot of parts, including the sequel, which is in the planning stages with the first chapter given a detailed outline. But there's some foreshadowing for the sequel in here as well, so see if you can pick it up. I hid it pretty well, but it's there. But there's Alex and Miranda bonding, because we can't get enough of that, can we?

Hope everyone enjoys, and I do not own First Class. I wish I did. But I don't. Leave a review on your way out, even though I don't really deserve it.

And in other news… Hunger Games. Friday. So freaking excited that it's not even funny. Anyone else? ;) Leave your thoughts in a review, so we can celebrate it.

**EDIT:** So apparently this chapter couldn't be seen when I uploaded it last night, so here's the second try. I know that others are having this problem all over the site, so I'll try uploading it this time and see what happens.

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Chapter 20<em>

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><p><em>Unknown Location<br>__1962_

_Screams, the sound of splashing waves, the screech of twisting metal, the bang of a gun._

_Hot white pain quickly followed._

_The pain swallowed him whole. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't focus. He could only lay in the rough sand, listen to someone scream his name in horror, and the sound of rushing water, followed by silence and choking noises, with a dull thud soon after._

_He couldn't see it all; he couldn't focus._

_All he could feel was the intense, hot white pain, and as his hand fumbled to his side, he felt the rumpled fabric of his shirt, the rough sand of the ground beneath him, and then, finally, the hot blood pouring from the wound on his side._

_Someone screamed his name again as strong, calloused hands pressed hard against his side, trying to staunch the blood flow. His body shook at the pain, and blood slowly flowed from the corner of his mouth as he choked_._ The choked sobs of another came through, and his body slowly went still, his body cooling quickly as blissful oblivion came over him again…_

To Daniel, however, the vision did not end.

It only carried over into reality.

It was as if his body was the one that had been wounded. Not blood came from his side, but Daniel's faced was twisted in pain, and his haggard gasps and sweat-soaked hair only showed what Daniel now knew Shaw had expected.

Daniel's powers were advancing.

The vision had come suddenly, when Daniel hadn't been prepared. One moment, he had been snarking on the floor and taunting everyone within earshot, and then he had shouted, in surprise and fear and pain, and then the vision had come, full force, leaving Daniel in the state he was in now. It was if Daniel's body couldn't tell the difference between reality and vision.

Azazel stood to the side, watching warily as Daniel continued to choke. A moment later, Daniel's whole body shook from pain as blood came from his mouth, landing on the floor as Daniel threw up what little food had reached his stomach in the past few days. Daniel was still chained to the wall of the sub, but the handcuff keeping him trapped seemed to be the only thing keeping him from collapsing completely to the ground.

Daniel couldn't breathe; he could only choke as more blood came through his throat and onto the floor in front of him. His face was slowly becoming pale, and yet, he was slowly able to realize what was going on around him, the voices of the mutants in the cramped quarters.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" came the surprised and even fearful voice of the newest member of this time, the one that had betrayed everyone just to go with Shaw. Angel, Daniel dimly remembered, as more blood hit the floor. That was what her name was.

"If I knew, I vould stop it," Azazel snapped back.

It was as if those words were the trigger. A second later, Daniel took a shaking breath, and his body slowly stopped shaking. He breathed slowly and quietly, his eyes fluttering open, the world in front of him blurred to the point that he could only see vague shapes, in particular one familiar shape of red.

"He's still alive?"

Shaw. Of course he would know something about this. That vision was proof that Daniel was more powerful than he gave himself credit for. The vision proved that Daniel was the current key between victory and defeat for Shaw and his little crusade.

He was only one key, however.

And Daniel knew that Erik was the other.

"What the hell was that?" Angel repeated, a bit off to the side.

"Daniel's powers are unique," Shaw explained. His voice came closer as steps echoed on the floor. Daniel was too weak to reply or even look up, and his body had only just stopped shaking. "He's going to be quite useful. Isn't that right, Daniel?"

Too weak to reply, Daniel's chocolate colored eyes slipped shut as he succumbed again to blissful unconsciousness.

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><p><em>State College, Pennsylvania<br>__1962_

"Okay, so you're allergic to peanuts-"

"No, shellfish."

"What is it with you and water?"

"We don't get along. It's Katie that's allergic to peanuts."

"Okay, then who's allergic to eggs?"

"No one."

"Then why is it on the food list?"

"Because Erik, Katie, Sean, Raven, and I all hate eggs."

Moira rolled her eyes as she crossed the item off the list. "If all of you hate eggs, just don't eat them," she told Miranda, who scowled from her position on her bed. The motel room was more than a little cramped, but it was more than enough for Miranda that she wasn't sharing a bed with Erik tonight, despite the new status of their relationship. The plan to stop for the night in Scranton had flopped when everyone realized that they were exhausted and just needed to sleep. Luckily, a motel nearby had enough room for them all.

"Fine," Miranda said, rolling her eyes again as she looked at her own list. "Why are we taking care of the medical stuff?" she wondered as she took another file from the briefcase on Moira's bed. She frowned at the front. "Here's Sean's. Oooh, his school record's in here." She grinned.

"Because Charles pretty much has all of the training ideas down, and Erik is just adding his own ideas," Moira explained. She chuckled as Miranda proceeded to pull out Sean's record. "We have a lot of personal records for them. Birthdays, criminal records, all that jazz."

"Why was Alex in jail when we got him?" Miranda asked, glancing over at her friend with a frown.

"Breaking and entering," Moira explained. She sighed as she pulled out Alex's file, holding it out to the mutant as she took it. "He took the max sentence."

"Just to stay somewhere that no one could get hurt," Miranda murmured. She bit her lip before looking at Sean's school record again. She rolled her eyes. "God, Sean has spent a lot of time in detention."

"High school," Moira murmured wistfully, chuckling quietly. She shook her head. "I don't miss it."

"Me neither," agreed Miranda, nodding once briskly.

It was at that moment that a pounding on the door started. Miranda and Moira exchanged a surprised glance with each other before looking over to the clock on the other side of the room, which was set firmly at 11:03 PM. The two exchanged another glance as the pounding continued, seeming to almost increase in intensity.

"Miranda, Moira, it's Sean!" a frantic voice exclaimed, slightly muffled through the wooden door. The two women exchanged a confused look as Sean added, "It's an emergency, you've gotta open up!"

Miranda sighed before standing up and walking towards the door. She stepped back as she unlocked it. The door swung open immediately, revealing a panicking Sean, Hank following closely behind.

Before either woman could ask, Sean blurted out, "We can't find Alex!"

For a moment, neither Miranda nor Moira could speak. They both just stared at Sean in a combination of horror and confusion. Moira was the first to regain her ability to speak, and managed to get out, "Wait a minute, you lost Alex?"

"We didn't lose him exactly-"

"We lost him," Hank confirmed, rolling his eyes at Sean.

Miranda groaned. "Tell us what happened," she said, in a voice of forced calm. "Now."

"Okay, so it was like an hour or two ago, and he said he was going to get something to eat at that store nearby. Except he hasn't come back yet."

"So you think he… what, ran off?" Miranda asked. The entire time that Sean had been speaking she had looked more and more worried, and as she ran a hand through her brown curls, Moira saw the protective spark in Miranda's eyes that reminded her of a mother.

"Or Shaw grabbed him," Moira murmured, saying the possibility that none of them wanted to consider.

Miranda bit her lip before walking over to the coat rack, grabbing her black coat. "If I'm not back in an hour, get Erik and Charles," she ordered, pulling her hair into a quick ponytail. She pulled on her coat as she explained, "If it's Shaw, I'll be bait. If Alex just ran off, I'll be able to find him quickly enough."

Moira nodded briskly in agreement. She then turned and frowned at Sean. "Why didn't you go to Erik or Charles?" she wondered, cocking her head as Miranda wrapped the scarf around her neck, grabbing her gun from the table nearby.

"Because Erik scares the shit out of me," Sean replied bluntly, staring at Moira as if she should have known the answer.

Miranda only rolled her eyes as she hurried out the door, praying that she would be able to find Alex before it was too late.

* * *

><p>She didn't have to go far.<p>

State College was a nice enough time to be sure. College kids were out on the town, which was expected easily enough. Miranda could remember Friday nights back in college; she and her friends had made it a point not to go home until they absolutely had to.

But that had been a long time ago.

She found Alex in a pawn shop. She watched in the window as Alex examined a small, intricately detailed wooden box. In one hand was a purse that Miranda knew was Katie's, one that she had been complaining when missing since lunch that afternoon. In the other was the plastic container than held Darwin's ashes.

It was only a few minutes until Alex pulled out the wallet from the purse, pulling out the money needed for the box. Miranda couldn't hear what was being said, but she had a good idea what the conversation contained. The owner frowned at the purse before gesturing out towards Miranda. Alex turned, freezing in surprise as he saw Miranda waiting outside.

She sighed before raising an eyebrow at him. He nodded once before taking his change back, heading to the door a second later, both the plastic container and wooden box in hand. A moment later, the bells on the shop door jingled as Alex stepped out, walking slowly towards Miranda.

"How'd you know?" he asked softly, looking down at the concrete sidewalk.

"Sean and Hank came to my room, saying that they didn't know where you were," she explained. She looked at the box before looking back at Alex. She gestured behind her. "There's an ice cream parlor about two blocks back that way, open until midnight. Let's go get something, and we'll have a talk."

Alex rolled his eyes before shoving past Miranda, stalking in the direction of the ice cream parlor. Miranda only sighed before following him in the shadows of the town.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, the two sat on the wooden picnic table just outside the ice cream parlor. Neither spoke nor ate the ice cream that Miranda had bought them. Alex kept the plastic container and wooden box on his lap.<p>

Finally, Miranda broke the silence. "Did I tell you about the first time that I used my powers?" she asked, looking over at the teenage blond.

Alex jumped in surprise, and then returned a suspicious glance towards Miranda. "No," he said slowly, not sure where Miranda was taking this conversation, if she even had a point to get to in the first place.

Miranda smiled nostalgically before saying, "I was young. I think I was around Sean and Katie's ages when they first surfaced." She readjusted her position. "I've always hated water. I almost drowned when I was about four, so I never really went in it after that. When I was a teen, though, my friend knocked me into the water as a joke. My powers surfaced in that instant. I nearly electrocuted myself and my friend, Andrew."

"What happened to Andrew?" Alex asked, looking over to Miranda. His face was carefully blank, but Miranda saw the look in Alex's eyes, a look that she knew all too well.

Miranda sighed before taking a quick lick of her ice cream. "We both survived. But Andrew has suffered heart problems ever since." She paused as she looked up at the night sky, closing her eyes as she continued, "He thought it was a freak thing, that we were too close to power cables. But I knew I did it. Because of me, one of my good friends has suffered ever since, and will suffer ever since." She shook her head. "Eventually, his heart problems will kill him."

Alex nodded, suddenly refusing to meet Miranda's gaze. "That didn't happen to me," he whispered. His hand clenched the plastic container tightly.

Miranda swallowed. "What did happen to you?" she asked.

For a few minutes, both were completely silent. Alex gaze at the wet grass below them, and Miranda watched the blond mutant, the teenager that she saw so much of herself in that it definitely scared her half to death. If she had a choice to go back in time, she knew that there was a lot she would choose to change.

But at the same time, she knew that she couldn't. No matter how much she might wish it wasn't so, David was dead and had been dead for years, Colin, her son, her baby boy, was dead and never had a chance to live, and Miranda wasn't the same girl she was when she first used her powers. She had loved and lost so much.

But now, she had another chance. There was another chance for love in her life, and she wasn't going to let that slip away if she had anything to say about it. There were kids in her life that needed help, and Miranda would be damned if she just watched them struggle without doing anything about it.

For the first time in years, Miranda had something to live for. And she was going to make the most of it.

"I was fifteen," Alex murmured. He looked up, but stared forward, his eyes dark, refusing to meet Miranda's gaze. "My dad and I had just had a huge fight, and I was in the kitchen. My mom was pregnant, and she came down during it. I just… my power just activated. My house burned down…" Alex's voice cracked a moment later. "My dad died in the fire."

Miranda's eyes softened before shutting, swallowing hard before asking, "And your mother?"

"She survived," replied Alex, his hand clenched into a fist and quickly turning white. "My younger brother Scott was upstairs when the fire started, but he got out. My mom and I did too, and my mom had my brother Gabe a few months later. But from there, I just went downhill… I just wanted to get away from people, so that no one else would get killed…"

"It wasn't your fault, Alex," Miranda said firmly, shooting a sharp glance towards him.

Alex gave a bitter scoff. "It was, Miranda," he corrected. "I got angry, I couldn't control it, and I killed my dad. I nearly killed my brothers and mom." It was almost as if he couldn't stop talking now that he had started, "I haven't talked to my mom in two years, since I got in jail. I can't… and I can't look at Scott and Gabe knowing that I killed our dad."

"Alex, look at me," Miranda interrupted sharply. Alex finally forced himself to look at the brunette, who continued, her voice softer, "That was not your fault. There was no way you could have controlled it. It's okay to feel upset about it, it's okay to grieve, but do not blame yourself for something that is out of your control."

She hesitated. "You should call your mom, Alex." Alex looked away, his face carefully emotionless, and Miranda continued, "Alex, she's your mother. She has to miss you. Just call her, and see where it goes. Don't you think you should hold on to what you have left?"

Alex swallowed. "Right now, I can't," he refused, shaking his head. "With everything going on, I don't want to risk getting my mom or brothers involved."

Miranda nodded slowly. "It's your choice, but you need to just know you're not alone in this, Alex," she told him firmly. "We're all stuck in this situation. It's going to be hard, but we're going to take Shaw down and deal with it."

Alex nodded firmly, but then hesitated. "I didn't want Darwin's ashes just sitting in a plastic container," he admitted, looking down at the two items in his hands. "I saw the pawn shop on the way into town and thought I could find something nicer…"

"Don't worry about it," Miranda interjected. "We were worried you ran off or Shaw grabbed you or something. Just tell someone next time, alright? We can't afford to be divided right now." She sighed before standing up, tossing her ice cream cone into a nearby trashcan. Alex did the same, and Miranda patted his shoulder as she took the purse from him. "Let's get back to the hotel."

As they walked, Alex shot a curious look to Miranda. "Do you think Katie is going to kill me for stealing her purse?" he asked.

Miranda chuckled. "If I know Katie, death would be merciful when compared to what she might have planned for you," she replied, laughing at the resigned look on the blonde's face.

Alex sighed as they continued on, prepared to meet whatever consequences he might have to face.

* * *

><p>It only took a few minutes to reach the motel again, but it was more than enough time for Miranda to realize that she and Alex had been gone for much longer than the hour window that Miranda had given Moira. In fact, the door to Miranda and Moira's motel room was open slightly, enough for Erik's voice to be easily heard.<p>

Miranda stopped outside it, holding out a hand to keep Alex from entering. "Wait, I want to hear this," she whispered, straining to hear whatever Erik was saying inside the room.

Alex rolled his eyes. "You're horrible," he teased, chuckling softly under his breath.

"Shut up and let me listen!" Miranda hissed, slapping his arm to keep him quiet.

"It's been over an hour." There was no other way that Miranda could describe the tone of Erik's voice other than panicked. He actually sounded worried, and that couldn't help but bring a simple smile to Miranda's lips when she realized he did care. "I'm going out to find her."

"Miranda can take care of herself, Erik," Charles's calm voice replied, though Miranda could hear a trace of worry in it.

"Against Shaw, alone, while she's looking for Alex? No, she can't."

Miranda narrowed her eyes as Alex laughed quietly; he smirked at the glare that she shot him.

"But we don't know State College at all," pointed out Moira. Miranda smirked at the fact that, as always, Moira was being logical and realistic even in this situation. "If Shaw grabbed one or both of them, it was because they were alone. By splitting up and going out to look for them, we're giving them more targets."

It was at that point that Miranda finally grabbed Alex's arm and pushed the door open. The gazes of the rest of the group, who must have come after Moira had told Erik and Charles, immediately went to the new arrivals, and Miranda gave a cheerful smile as she caught the carefully hidden relief on Erik's face. "Relax, we're fine," she said, gesturing to herself and Alex. "We're right here. Not captive, not missing, not dead."

Erik shook his head, rolling steel blue eyes. "Do I want to know?" he asked.

Alex swallowed before holding up the wooden box. "I didn't want to keep Darwin's ashes in a plastic kitchen container," he explained bluntly. He held up Katie's purse. The teenage girl narrowed her eyes darkly at Alex as he continued, "So, I kinda stole Katie's purse – sorry, Katie – and got him a box that's actually nicer than plastic container."

The explanation received reactions all around. Whatever protests Erik had died as his blue eyes turned from suspicious to solemn. From her position near Charles, Raven's gaze went to the carpet. Sean visibly flinched, and Katie swallowed hard.

"And then I wanted ice cream, so we went to get ice cream," Miranda finished, smirking slightly to herself. "I found him like a half an hour ago, but there was an ice cream place open, so…"

Erik rolled his eyes. "Of course you did."

Katie stood up and limped over to Alex, hitting him hard on the arm as she took her purse back. "I would have given you the money if you had asked, you idiot," she pointed out, hitting his arm again as she limped back to the bed, huffing as she sat down between Caroline and Hank.

"Can we go back to bed now?" Caroline asked groggily from Katie's other side. She was leaning against Raven, her eyes drooping quietly.

Miranda chuckled. "Go to bed, brat," she ordered. She smirked before ruffling Alex's messy blond hair. "That means everyone. We're leaving bright and early, right?" she asked, looking to Charles for confirmation.

Charles nodded, chuckling slightly to himself. "She's right. We'll get to our destination late tomorrow afternoon, so the earlier we leave, the earlier we get there."

"And the sooner I get out of sharing a car with Sean," Katie added, looking much happier than she had in the past few days.

"I still say we just put Katie with Caroline and let Al and I share a car," Sean put in.

"We're not doing that unless we want the car destroyed," Raven replied, shaking her head as she headed out the door. The younger mutants followed her, Hank helping Katie out, leaving the four adults alone.

Miranda turned a victorious grin towards Erik. "Worried about me, huh?" she asked, barely able to hold back a yawn.

Erik rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Hanson."

Miranda's grin merely turned to a smirk. "Make me, Lensherr."


	22. Chapter 21

**Author's Note:** Technology sucks, just saying. Because my laptop broke again, and everything has sucked since then. But since May is quickly approaching (along with finals and AP exams) life is going to be more than a little chaotic for a bit. But it should calm down after the middle of May, and I'll just have fun stuff. ;)

Thanks for all the support, though, and I'm glad to see that people are still interested in what's going on. I'd love to hear what you all think, and what you think Daniel's vision was, because that was what I really wanted to hear about. But I don't own _First Class_, sadly. Maybe someday.

If you're interested, I did finally get the casting down for the original characters! :D David's one gave me the most problems, of course, but that was more of trying to figure out a pair of actors who looked enough like brothers. But I think Matt Lanter (Liam in _90210_) and Greg Vaughan (Dan in _Charmed_) look close enough like brothers for this to work. Plus both are nice to look at. XD

Katie's actress was the easiest, since I saw _First Class _and immediately went "Holy crap, that's Alison!" when I saw the scene, since I'm a shameless _Pretty Little Liars _addict. She was already cast! ;) Miranda was by far the hardest, until I saw an episode of _Castle _and realized that Stana Kavic would be awesome for Miranda. And her hair is curly! :D I loved Lily Collins in _The Blind Side_, and I thought she was good for Caroline.

**Miranda Hanson**… Stana Kavic  
><strong>Katie Ellison<strong>… Sasha Pieterse  
><strong>Caroline Scott<strong>… Lily Collins  
><strong>Daniel Holloway<strong>… Matt Lanter  
><strong>David Holloway<strong>… Greg Vaughan

As a note, though, I do believe that the customs in the end section are correct, thanks to my research. If any of my lovely Jewish readers want to correct me, please do, because I do want this to be accurate. ;) Thanks again, everyone, and please receive, because this is an extra long one tonight.

But I won't lie. I cried when I wrote the last part. You've been warned.

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 21<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>State College, Pennsylvania<br>1962_

"We've got a problem."

"In case you haven't been paying attention, Moira, there have been quite a lot of problems the last few weeks."

"Not the time, Erik."

From her spot in the diner, Miranda groaned and rolled her eyes. "Guys, it's too early to argue," she protested, rubbing her eyes. They had stopped at the same diner this morning that they had been to the day before, since Charles thought they could stand to get a bite to eat before they left for wherever he planned to go. The teens were over in the booth they had been in last night, clearly already scheming about something, and the four adults had returned to their table.

"What's wrong?" Charles asked, frowning slightly. He seemed to be the most awake out of the four. To be honest, however, it seemed that Miranda was the grumpiest of the group, since Erik was more used to going on a few hours of sleep than she was.

Moira sat down across from Miranda, her face deadly serious. Miranda stiffened at the look in her friend's eyes, her own green eyes narrowing in worry when she realized that she wasn't going to like whatever she was about to hear.

"I still have contacts in the CIA, contacts that have been giving me information," Moira explained. She leaned back in her seat, a bit uncomfortable at the stares that Erik, Charles, and Miranda. "One of them is an agent who was friends with David."

Miranda's eyes widened. "What happened?" she demanded, sounding more than a little worried. Erik shot an unreadable glance at her, but said nothing.

Moira smiled dryly. "Daniel's roommate over in Switzerland is smarter than we gave him credit for. He showed back up a few weeks ago at their apartment and found Daniel missing. When he didn't show up for a few days, he was reported missing. Word's gone back here in the States, and since Daniel's the younger brother of an agent who, according to the official reports in the CIA, was killed by communist spies, we can guess what that means."

"A lot more people are going to be looking for Daniel," Erik finished, ice blue eyes expressionless as he tried to examine the situation as best as he could. "Is that good or bad?"

"Bad. Miranda might be a person of interest."

The brunette groaned before running a hand through her hair. "He went missing a few days after we left," she pointed out. She bit her lip. "Is there any word how his parents are reacting?"

"Terrified, I'm sure," Charles murmured, leaning back in his chair. His usual job as the voice of reason and logic came easily from him, and as painful as it was for Miranda to hear it, she did need to the words to register in her mind. "Their eldest son was murdered, and now their youngest is missing?"

Miranda shook her head, letting loose a bitter laugh. "They never deserved this," she mentioned, running a hand through her brown curls. "The two of them have never been anything but amazing. They don' t deserve any of this."

"It's one more thing Shaw will pay for when we find him," Erik murmured, eyes narrowed angrily.

Miranda didn't answer before standing up, grabbing her purse. "I'm going to call them, see how they're doing," she murmured, not looking at any of them as she made her way to the payphones in one corner of the diner.

Erik watched her carefully, his forehead creased in a frown, as Charles turned to Moira. "What's the story in the CIA about David's death?" he asked.

Moira leaned back in her seat. "I heard it when I just started," she explained, pulling her hair back behind her ears, frowning as both Erik and Charles' attention came to her. "David was killed in the fall of 1957. From what everyone said, he was working to bust a communist ring here in the US, but when he got too close, communists killed him and nearly killed his wife. His wife, however, miscarried their baby. That was all I ever heard, but David's friends always tried to keep an eye on Daniel."

Erik nodded briskly, his eyes narrowed. "She was on her own for two years before we met up," he added, taking a glance toward Miranda, who had already gotten to a payphone and seemed to be waiting for someone to answer. "We joined up in around… the fall of 1959."

"Oh, your three year anniversary is coming up," Charles noted, shooting a teasing grin towards the Nazi hunter.

Erik rolled his eyes before standing up. "I'm going to check on her." He stepped away, heading towards the wall. Moira and Charles watched him walk away, before Charles gave a sigh.

"Is there anything you can do?" Charles asked.

"No," Moira replied, frustration coloring her voice. She shook her head before shooting a worried glance towards the new couple. "We have to find Daniel, and figure out a way to pass off his disappearance as nothing big. But the CIA is looking for him. David was popular, and he had a lot of friends."

Charles nodded. "We'll figure it out," he said firmly, leaning forward, shooting a determined look towards Miranda and Erik. "We'll figure it out when we get to that point. For right now, we'll get to where we're going."

Moira nodded. "Erik and Miranda are taking Sean and Katie," she said firmly, shooting Charles a look that dared him to contradict him.

Charles merely grinned. "That goes without saying."

* * *

><p>"But you haven't heard anything, Miranda?"<p>

"No, I just heard that he went missing. He was fine when I left, said he was going to go hang out with someone…"

"Liz?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"She's a sweetheart. They go to the same college, both were studying in Geneva the same time. She's heading the search over there, but Thomas and I are going over in a few days. Miranda, the police think he might have ran off, and considering Daniel is _Daniel_…"

"You think it's a possibility." Miranda's heart sank as she cradled the payphone in her hand.

She couldn't help but frown. The fifteen year old Daniel, cocky and carefree and cheerful, she remembered would have never run away. But then again, she hadn't seen him for over four years. How was Miranda supposed to know how David's murder had changed him, considering how much it had changed her?

"I hate to admit it, but it's better to think that way than to consider…" Miranda could hear her mother-in-law's voice crack as the words came out, and Miranda swallowed hard. She looked over to the side as Erik approached the payphone, leaning against the wall as he watched and listened carefully.

"Yeah. I know what you mean. If he gets in contact with me, though, I'll call you. I promise."

"Thank you, Miranda. But just call more often. Your mother says you only call once and awhile, and just because David is… isn't with us any longer… doesn't mean you're not still our daughter."

Blinking back the tears in her eyes, Miranda smiled shakily. "Thanks, Evelyn," she murmured, remembering the good times she had had with her mother-in-law years ago. "I'll call as soon as I can."

"Thank you so much, sweetheart. Take care."

"You too," murmured Miranda as she hung up the phone. She looked at Erik before closing her eyes and swallowed. "God damn it, I cannot wait to end this," she murmured, running a hand through her curls.

"You and your mother-in-law were close?" Erik asked, curiosity lining his voice. For all that they knew about each other, Erik could honestly say that he knew very little about Miranda and David's relationship.

"I've known the Holloways my whole life," Miranda replied. She gave a watery smile before turning to Erik, nostalgia bright in her slowly tear-filling eyes. Erik remained silent, allowing her to talk freely. "My mom and David's dad were friends growing up. My mom introduced their parents. In their senior year of high school, my mom, Evelyn, and Thomas went to a performance of The Tempest at a local high school. One of Evelyn's friends joined them as a blind date for my mom."

"That was your father," Erik guessed, putting the pieces together.

Miranda nodded before leaning against the wall next to Erik. Her hand joined his, and he squeezed as he listened carefully, knowing that she had listened to him enough times that he owed her more than he could ever say. "When they had me, they named me after pretty much the only female character in the play: Miranda." She gave a dry smile. "I was going to be Ferdinand if I was a boy."

Erik snorted. "Small miracles."

"Thank God." Miranda shook her head before squeezing his hand tightly, taking comfort in the physical contact between them. "But I've known them my whole life. Daniel's always been like my younger brother. I don't care if it kills me, I'm getting Daniel away from Shaw."

"We'll end it," Erik assured her, standing in front of her, his eyes glittering with determination. Miranda chuckled softly at the dogged look in his eyes. "We'll end it. I don't know what happens after that, but it'll be you and me at the end. No matter what."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "How romantic," she replied dryly, shooting a teasing smile up at her partner. She looked behind Erik, where the teens could clearly be seen spying on them. "Even more romantic when you realize that we're being spied on by teenagers."

Erik turned, shooting a threatening glare towards the six younger mutants. Katie and Alex immediately started to read their menus with much more enthusiasm than should have been possible. Hank looked away, 'casually' starting a conversation with Alex and Caroline. Raven was the only one who didn't turn away, and instead shot a cheerful, victorious grin that made Miranda realize that she and Erik had played directly into Raven's plans.

Miranda rolled her eyes. "We are never going to get privacy, are we?" she groaned, shaking her head as Erik returned his gaze to her.

Erik chuckled. "We'll figure that one out as well," he promised, shooting a smirk down at her. As she opened her mouth to reply, only for Erik to lean down and kiss her, silencing any words she might have spoken. For the first time in a very long while, Erik let himself forget for a few moments, only focusing on the woman in front of him and the emotions he was finally feeling.

* * *

><p><em>Norfolk, Virginia<br>__1957_

"_Where are you going?"_

_Miranda froze at the words as she stood in what had been her and David's bedroom. She turned slowly, red-rimmed green eyes meeting the painfully familiar of chocolate brown of her fifteen-year-old brother-in-law. Daniel's eyes were just as red as hers, but they were accusing, while Miranda's eyes were harder and angrier than they had been before._

"_I need to get out of here," Miranda replied, swallowing as she ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know where yet, but I can't stay in Norfolk, Daniel."_

"_Miranda, you just got out of the hospital," Daniel protested, stepping forward. "David's been…" Daniel pause, a fresh wave of grief exploding through his being, eyes filling with tears he was desperately trying to keep from letting loose. "We buried David today, Miranda. And the baby-"_

"_Don't. Talk. About. Him."_

_Miranda's voice was sharp and angry, and as Daniel looked up sharply to meet her gaze, he realized that he saw actually rage in her eyes, in the tense stature of her body, in her clenched hands. Daniel's kind-hearted, patient, brave, elementary school teacher sister-in-law was enraged. And somehow, that scared Daniel more than anything he had seen so far. _

_It was proof that his life had been completely turned upside down._

"_What about your job?" Daniel asked, his voice rough as he looked away, unwilling to see the anger in Miranda's eyes._

"_I talked to the principal, said that I quit," Miranda replied roughly. She turned her attention back to the bed, where a suitcase laid open. She set something in it that Daniel couldn't see before closing it. "I'm going to Europe. I just can't stay in Norfolk, Daniel."_

"_Why Europe?" Daniel asked, more than a little afraid to find the answer, guilt and apprehension in his eyes. Miranda couldn't see those emotions, and Daniel was more than a little glad that she wasn't looking at him._

_Miranda's eyes hardened further. "There's some unfinished business there," she explained tensely, biting her lip. She picked up her suitcase before stepping towards Daniel, pulling him into a quick hug. "I love you, little brother. I know this is sudden… but I have to do this alone." She shied away from Daniel's confused look. "I hope you never understand what I mean."_

_She stepped passed him, heading down the hallway. Daniel remained still, swallowing hard, unable to force himself to say something now, while Miranda was still here. Daniel knew that he wouldn't see her for awhile, if ever again._

_As he heard Miranda descending down the stairs, the tears finally fell down Daniel's face as he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Miranda. I'm so sorry this is my fault."_

* * *

><p><em>Westchester, New York<br>__1962_

"Holy shit."

"Eloquent word choice, Sean."

"No, he's got it pretty much right this time."

"I've got to agree with them."

As she stared up at the house, listening to Alex and Caroline's comments, Katie only rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face and total lack of malice in her eyes showed she was only acting in the way she and Sean always had. In fact, Sean was next to her, trying to keep her steady, since her sprained ankle was still causing some major problems for the petite blonde.

Miranda chuckled slightly before shrugging at Erik's look. "This place reminds me of the stories I used to tell the kids in school," she admitted, glancing around at the admittedly beautiful mansion sprawling in front of them. She shot a grin towards Charles, who seemed excited for their reactions, and at Raven, who just appeared happy to be home.

Sean shook his head before looking at Charles. "This is yours?" he asked, repeating his question for about the sixth time since they had gotten out of the cars five minutes ago.

"No," corrected Charles, turning up to smile at his home. "It's ours."

"Holy shit," repeated Sean, staring up at it. He grinned suddenly, a familiar mischief settling in his eyes. "This must have been awesome to play hide-and-go-seek in…"

Raven nodded eagerly. "It is, but it was always boring with Charles and me, so the games never got that good," she replied, her voice trailing off as the six younger mutants exchanged scheming looks. Miranda and Charles exchanged amused looks as Erik rolled his eyes and Moira chuckled.

"Go on," Charles finally relented, unable to stop a smile as the younger mutants exchanged victorious grins. "Dinner will be at seven, don't get lost, and make sure you get your luggage in before dark."

Katie, smiling slightly, rolled her eyes as she raised her hand. "I'm the cripple, so I'll be the seeker first," she volunteered, rolling her eyes again as Sean grinned. "But I don't want to think about how many stairs there are… plus we're never going to find Raven in here." The blonde in question smirked.

Alex hesitated before glancing down at the wooden box in his hand. He hadn't let it out of his sight since Miranda had helped him carefully transfer the ashes from the plastic container to the box. "I'll help Katie," he said, looking a bit uncomfortable as everyone's gaze turned towards him. "What are you waiting for? You're losing time."

Sean and Raven bolted a second later, Raven a bit ahead, racing towards what the others assumed to be the entrance of the house. Caroline followed, while Hank hesitated and remained behind, looking a bit reluctant.

Caroline paused a few feet away before turning and grabbing Hank's arm. "C'mon, McCoy, you're playing, too!" she exclaimed, forcibly pulling the taller mutant towards the mansion.

Hank groaned. "What, I have no say in this?" he grumbled, though it was clear he was only half-heartedly resisting.

"What, you thought this was a democracy? Because it isn't, not when hide and seek is involved, and definitely not when Raven's involved."

Charles only rolled his eyes as the two followed Sean and Raven, disappearing along with them a few moments later.

Moira shot a glance towards Alex. "Alright, what's up?" she asked. Alex shot her a surprised look before Moira smiled dryly. "What, you thought I got into the CIA because of my looks? I'm actually intelligent, Alex. What's wrong?"

Though she had observed the past few minutes silently and carefully, next to Erik, Miranda had not realized that Alex had wanted to ask something. She glanced at Erik in confusion, but as Alex spoke his mind, she felt her heart and stomach drop with grief. Judging by the reactions from Moira, Charles, and Katie, she knew they felt the same. She could even see a carefully hidden reaction by Erik, but considering how well Miranda had learned to read Erik, it wasn't hidden to her.

Alex swallowed before looking at the four adults in turn. "I don't know how we'd do it, but…" His hesitation returned full force as he finally said, "Is it possible to have a funeral for Darwin while we can?" Words spilled out as he continued, "It just doesn't seem right to leave his ashes in here, not when he died saving us-"

"I think it's an excellent idea," Charles interrupted, shooting him an encouraging smile. Alex paused, looking more than a bit relieved, as Charles mentioned, "In fact, I think I know a nice place that he would have liked." He gestured towards where the four other mutants had run up. "You both go and play a few rounds. We all know Darwin would have wanted you to smile a little bit at least."

Alex smiled softly before nodding, and Miranda gave her own half-smile when she realized that Alex had not looked more peaceful than he did in this moment. "Thanks," he said after a moment.

Alex glanced down at the wooden box in his hands before looking at Miranda. A few moments later, he handed it to her, an unspoken plea to keep it safe unhidden in his eyes. Miranda nodded once, her eyes filled with tears that she refused to let loose. Erik watched the scene with an emotionless expression, while Moira wiped away a tear from her eye. Charles put a hand on Moira's back, watching Alex carefully.

A moment after Alex had given Miranda the box, he looked at Katie, who looked strangely subdued, before shooting her a grin. "We go after Sean first," he promised.

The statement had the effect that Alex had clearly desired to get. Katie cheered up immediately, grinning. "Sean's horrible at this game. He always starts cackling when you're getting close to him." She immediately jumped onto the older blonde's back. Alex grunted at the sudden weight, and Katie rolled her eyes. "C'mon, you big baby. I'm not that heavy."

"If I drop you, I'm so not picking you up again."

"Whatever. Just go! We have to find Sean first, and then Raven."

"She's going to know all the hiding spots."

"That's why we start with her. Now let's go, Summers!"

"God, you're demanding, Ellison."

"Shut up and go!"

As the two hurried away, Katie barking orders to Alex the entire way, Miranda turned to the group before looking at the box in her hand. "I think they better enjoy that game," she admitted, handling the box as carefully as if it were made of the most fragile glass.

"This is the most relaxation they'll be getting for awhile," Charles agreed, shooting a look towards Alex and Katie as they disappeared towards the entrance. "We'll start training tomorrow."

Erik's gaze hardened. "We'll be ready next time," he murmured. There was more than just determination in his words. It was a solemn promise to both himself and the three people around him that they would be ready.

* * *

><p>It wasn't a highly decorated place, but something told Alex that the spot Charles had chosen was perfect.<p>

It was in the shade of an old weeping willow, its branches forming something of a canopy around the grassy ground underneath it. Only a few hours after the game of hide-and-seek had begun, the group had gathered outside, much somber than they had been previously.

Charles and Erik had come outside a bit earlier, with a large rock and the a small shovel. Erik had managed to find a piece of metal sharp enough to carve into the rock a simple carving, but one that was good enough for the short time that they had been given.

_Armando "Darwin" Muñoz  
><em>_1938 - 1962  
><em>_Son, Brother, Friend_

It wasn't a funeral that was planned in any way. The only one who had been to a funeral recently was Miranda, and that had been the funeral of her husband. She barely remembered any of it, considering her mental state at the time. The ten were quiet as they gathered underneath the willow tree, and three of the men had stepped forward to take the box from Miranda and put it into the ground. It had been silent as Alex, Erik, and Charles had put the stone in, followed by the wooden box, which Alex had carefully lowered before burying it under the dirt.

Katie limped forward as the last bit of dirt was placed over the grave. She set down a small bouquet of flowers, sniffling quietly as she stood back up, leaning against Sean for support. Alex stood behind Caroline and Miranda, with Erik predictably on the other side of Miranda. Raven stood behind them, between Charles and Hank, her head on Charles' shoulder and her hand in Hank's. Moira stood with the group as well, looking grim.

For minutes, there was silence as storm clouds gathered overhead. No one knew what to say, or rather, what could be said, as they buried their friend. No one was completely dry in those silent minutes, until finally it ended, a new attitude and mood settling over the group.

"Thanks for everything, man," Sean finally said, breaking the silence. He looked uncharacteristically serious for the first time that any of them had seen. "You gave us a chance. We won't waste it."

Though he had largely abandoned his active faith after his hunt for Shaw had begun, Erik remembered enough to speak the words his mother had taught him. "Baruch dayan emet," he murmured, not acknowledging the several surprised looks that had been shot at him as the words left his mouth. "Blessed be the one true Judge."

Miranda only squeezed his hand as she murmured, "None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. It we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. for to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and the living." She paused before adding, "Romans chapter 14, verses 7 through 9."

Though she didn't say it, everyone knew; that had been the verse that had been read at David's funeral.

"Rest in peace, buddy," Alex said, his voice cracking a bit. Both of his hands were grabbed immediately, and Alex shot surprised looks at Miranda and Caroline. Caroline shot him a sad smile. Alex squeezed both of their hands before adding, "We won't let you down."

More determined than ever that the lost would be avenged, the mutants returned to the mansion, ready for whatever might come next, despite the big unknown it was upon itself.

The rain began to fall a few seconds later.


	23. Chapter 22

**Author's Note:** Wow, what do you know, I actually updated pretty quickly after the last one! :D That's because I love this chapter, I really do. We have Erik/Miranda, a look at the other mutants, and Daniel. But this chapter is important because it's a good look at Erik and Miranda's relationship, not just through their eyes, but through other people's eyes.

…plus I have AP psych exams on May 7, so there's a lot of psychology in here as a result of me studying between writing sections of this chapter. Yay for multi-tasking!

But this is getting pretty dark, especially Daniel's part. That probably explains why it was by far my favorite thing to write this chapter, and not only because you guys meet a new character that's going to be causing some problems as time goes on. That one has some foreshadowing, though, so pay attention.

But quickly, this chapter is dedicated to **JClayton.** Why, you may ask? Go to their review for Chapter 21, and follow the link in it so you can bask in the amazing-ness that they made, because it honestly is the reason why this chapter got written so quickly. It was inspiring. :D Hope you enjoy, **JClayton**!

Anyway, I don't own X-Men. Sadly. Maybe someday. But not today. For now I just have fun with the toys, but I do promise to put them back sooner or later. Probably later, because I just finished the first chapter of the sequel. ;)

Before I forget, though, there's a new poll on my page: Who is your favorite Turning Tables original character? Go and vote, please, because I want to see who I should feature more of. ;) Thanks for everything, guys, and please review!

Oh, and as a note… I just finished _Mass Effect 3_ (stupid writers and their stupid open endings… even though the Kaidan/Shepard romance TOTALLY redeemed itself after its lack-luster appearance in _Mass Effect 2_…), so in my head both Shaw and the new character were speaking in Martin Sheen's voice… ;) So if you played Mass Effect 3, PM me so we can talk about it… or rather complain… about the endings.

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 22<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Westchester, New York<br>1962_

For the second time in too short a period, Miranda woke in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, green eyes wild, a yell dying in her throat.

She sat ramrod straight for a few moments, breathing wildly as she tried to stop her body from shaking. Miranda forced herself to take several deep breaths, as her green eyes adjusted to the darkness around her. She swallowed nervously as she took in the unfamiliar room, calming as she reminded herself that she was in the mansion, in a room that she had picked out earlier, one a bit down the hall from Erik's.

Erik.

Miranda pulled a hand through her hair. "Get a hold of yourself," she muttered forcefully, swallowing as she pulled her hair behind her ears, wincing when she felt how damp with sweat her curls were. "Erik is fine, he is going to be fine, nothing is going to happen to him. Erik. Is. Fine."

Unable to believe herself, Miranda shook her head before kicking the covers off her bed, touching the floor with shaky legs as she stood up. Her nightgown swished around her knees as she took her robe off from a hook on the wall, pulling it on before tying it around her waist.

Miranda pulled her hair out from underneath the robe as she left her dark room, closing the door as she entered the dimly lit hallway. She glanced down the hall, at a door about two to the left, before rolling her eyes and walking towards it. She hesitated outside of it, taking the doorknob in her hand and turning it slowly, careful to make sure it didn't creak as it did earlier, when Erik had gone to bed.

She looked into the dark bedroom, hesitating slightly as she saw Erik's back facing the door. She bit her lip as she forced herself to watch him, if only to remind herself that Erik was alive and well, that he was fine, that he wasn't dead and hurt.

She sighed before making a move to close the door, stopping as Erik's voice said, softly and tired, "Can't sleep?"

Miranda hesitated before entering the room fully, closing the door completely. "Not tonight," she replied softly, pulling her robe off and dropping it to the ground before sitting on the other side of Erik's bed, leaning against the pillows on one side. Erik readjusted his position, moving so that he could face Miranda in the dim moonlight that came from his windows.

"You had another nightmare," guessed Erik, frowning in concern at her.

"It's nothing," Miranda replied, biting her lip as she avoided Erik's gaze. She wasn't going to be able to lie to him tonight. She frowned suddenly as a thought occurred to her. "Wait a minute, why aren't you asleep?"

Erik gave a dark chuckle. "You're not the only one who has nightmares, Miranda."

Miranda's gaze softened as she turned her head, green eyes meeting blue in the shadowed half-light. In her eyes was a plea for him not to ask, at least not tonight. He sighed as he nodded briskly, this situation following into their usual agreement; neither of them asked what the nightmare had been, and neither told.

And yet, something told Miranda that she had been involved in that nightmare, somehow.

Neither spoke for minutes until Miranda finally shook her head. "This feels so weird," she admitted. She settled down easier on the bed, meeting Erik's gaze with a soft smile. "I mean, it's been us for over two years now, and… we're here, with other people like us."

Erik chuckled quietly. "You've certainly made your own space here," he noted. Erik would never admit it to anyone, but it honestly relieved him to see how well Miranda was taking to the kids. She was a loving person with her nature, and loved people. She had been a teacher, for crying out loud. Helping these people was something that she could do, and do well.

And as much as Erik would deny it, he was also starting to find his place.

Miranda grinned in the dim light. "I love actually knowing we're not alone," she explained, glancing up at the ceiling as she readjusted herself, her head leaning on Erik's shoulder. "That we aren't two lone freaks of nature, that there are others who actually can do things as strange as we can. But thinking how they must have felt, like I did after my powers surfaced…"

"You've never talked about that," Erik noted, stopping her words in their tracks.

"Neither do you," Miranda replied, raising an eyebrow at him as she looked up.

Erik smirked. "A story for a story," he offered, carefully moving one of her curls off her face.

Miranda smirked. "Oh, that's the game, Lensherr?" she asked teasingly, her smirk turning to a grin as he actually gave a small, though sad, smile.

"As a matter of fact, it is," Erik replied, rolling his eyes as he readjusted his position. "Ladies first, Hanson."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Lensherr. You know the story about how I got my powers already." She paused before adding, "And I know when you did. That was like the first story you gave me when we were drunk, back in London like… three months after we met."

"Well, do you have any other ideas?" Erik asked, raising an eyebrow.

Miranda shrugged. "If you think about it, we're not going to have any stories in common," she reminded him, pulling her hair behind her ears. "We grew up in completely different worlds, Erik."

"Alright, then, what did you do in those two weeks that you ran off, after our fight in Calais?" Erik asked, raising an eyebrow as he watched Miranda stiffen. He frowned slightly. "That's a different reaction than normal."

"Because that was a stupid fight that I can't even remember the cause of anymore," Miranda replied, shaking her head. She snorted at the memory. "What, it was like four days after I nearly drowned?" she asked, continuing as Erik gave a nod. "Well, after that stupid fight, I waited until you left the room. I got my stuff, and then left."

"But where did you go?" asked Erik.

Miranda hesitated. "Norfolk," she replied in a quiet voice, frowning darkly at the ceiling. Erik raised an eyebrow as actual surprise entered his eyes. "I… God, Erik, I was pissed, I was half-drunk, I didn't know what to do. So I got a plane ticket and went back to Norfolk. I went to David's grave for the first time."

Erik nodded once before asking, "I think I might regret asking, but how did that go?"

Miranda smiled darkly. "About as well as you could expect. I cried, just sat there a bit, and then finally starting wondering what the hell I was doing at my dead husband's grave instead of searching for his murderer, and how I thought leaving you like that was a good idea," she replied. She hesitated. "But I stopped by my old house first."

Erik shot a surprised look at her as Miranda continued, "It was still on the market. No one had bought it. David's murder made a lot of newspapers. I mean, it was a violent, bloody, brutal murder in the middle of a nice neighborhood, and David was a popular person." She shrugged. "After that, I got back on a plane, to Calais, but you had already left by then." She gave a mischievous smirk. "You didn't cover up your tracks so well."

"Because I was hoping you would turn up again sooner or later," Erik replied, chuckling slightly at the surprised look on her face. "Unfortunately, I was used to you by then, and used to depending on you for a few things. I was surprised you didn't come back for a while."

"It took a bit to find you in Portugal, and maybe an hour to find that lead, but it literally took less than a minute to break into your hotel room," she replied, her voice a little sleepy now. Erik glanced down at her as he saw her eyes fluttering, Miranda herself fighting off a yawn.

Erik chuckled. "My turn now?"

Miranda smiled softly before looking at him. "Yep. So, what did you do in the two weeks?" she asked. Erik could tell she was fighting off sleep as hard as she could. If he had to bet, she would be asleep before he finished talking.

"Not much to tell," Erik replied, settling easy as he just watched her. She was clearly trying to pay attention, but failing miserably as exhaustion began to finally take her. "I was mad, so when I left, I went back to the bar. When I came back, your stuff was gone, and I realized that I was alone again.

"I just moved on. I didn't know whether or not I'd see you again, and as much as it pains me to admit it… it wasn't a pleasant thought. You pulled your own weight, and going back to the hunt alone wasn't a pleasant thing. I won't lie to you, Miranda. The night I found you in the room in Portugal… I don't think I've been more relieved, unless you count the incident in Florida. Thinking you were dead was painful enough; finding you again was more of a relief than I can ever explain."

Erik chuckled softly. "This is probably the part where you say I do have a soft spot." He paused, waiting for her reply, and then frowned when it didn't come. "Miranda?"

Erik glanced down at her, unsurprised to see her fast asleep. "Here to hoping you actually sleep for the rest of the night," he murmured, kissing her forehead quickly before lying back down, hoping to actually get some sleep himself before the end of the night.

What he didn't notice was the content smile on Miranda's face.

* * *

><p>"Ouch!"<p>

"It's just a little prick!"

"That was not a little prick, Hank!"

As they sat in the lab, Hank only rolled his eyes. "Stop being a baby," he scolded, rolling his eyes as Katie glared at him, glancing warily at the needle in her arm taking out blood. "It'll only be a few seconds."

"Why are you taking blood, anyway?" Sean asked curiously from across the room. He sat backward on a chair, watching curiously with his head in his hands. Caroline sat next to him, Moira behind her, while Charles and Hank sat with Katie. Charles was writing things down as Hank took Katie's blood. Moira was pulling and tying Caroline's hair into a French braid. Both Caroline and Sean had bandages on their arms.

"We're looking for differences in your blood that could relate to how everyone's powers differ," explained Charles, not looking up as he started writing. He bit his lip before saying, "Katie, your powers surfaced a little less than three months before we found you?"

Katie nodded briskly, shifting before turning her gaze to Charles. "Yeah, it was during a camping trip with my family." She leaned against the back of her chair, biting her lip as she continued, "I love my family, but I don't always get along with my sister Maddie. And… I got really mad at her, and I stormed off. I ended up by a creek, and when I was pacing… the water was moving with me. I experimented a bit, and realized that I was controlling it. I didn't know what to do after that, so I just ignored it."

"No wonder you looked so scared when you came back to school," Sean mentioned. He frowned. "Wait, wasn't that the same week you broke up with Will?"

"As a matter of fact, it was, but it had nothing to do with that." Katie's eyes narrowed at Sean as she continued, "And it had everything to do with the fact that your stupid cousin spread around the rumor that I slept with you! For the ninth time in our high school lives!"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I swear, you two are already like an old married couple, it's not going to be a big surprise when you finally get together." She ignored the look that both shot her.

"I take it that happened rather often?" Charles asked, looking more than a little amused as he shot a curious smile to them both.

"Well, it's not exactly uncommon knowledge that our families are friends," Katie explained, wincing as Hank readjusted the needle a little bit. "My brothers and his sisters were all friends in high school, and when we came in, we fought a lot, but…" She grinned. "We're the only ones allowed to mess with each other."

Sean chuckled, though the look in his eyes was more than a little protective. "In our sophomore year, there was this guy who wouldn't leave her alone. At one point, he shoved her against a wall, and she fell down the stairs." He paused. "I got suspended for a week after I found him in the hall after school and beat the crap out of him."

Katie rolled her eyes. "You overreacted to that situation," she told him, shaking her head. Caroline rolled her eyes though, as she noticed the pleased look in Katie's eyes.

"I did not!"

"You did more than my boyfriend did, Sean. I don't think I've ever seen you that angry before."

"What can I say? Shannon isn't the one Cassidy kid with a temper." Sean shrugged. "Besides, what I did was merciful compared to what your brothers would have done to him. The only reason they didn't kill him was because I already beat him up."

"True," Katie admitted. She chuckled and grinned before adding, "Hell hath no fury like Shannon Cassidy scorned, though."

Sean chuckled. "Exactly. That's why it's a good idea never to piss off my older sister."

Charles chuckled. "Young love," he murmured, rolling his eyes, ignoring the dark glares both Boston teenagers shot him. He nodded as Hank pulled out the needle of Katie's arm and bandaged it up. "Alright, we still have Alex, Miranda, and Erik to go." He frowned. "Where are the three of them, anyway?"

"Miranda and Alex went out with Raven to get some food," Moira explained, smiling slightly as she examined Caroline's French braid. "God knows where Erik went. Miranda said something about grabbing lunch on the way back."

"Convenient excuse," muttered Charles, rolling his eyes and frowning with no real malice behind the words. He bit his lip again before glancing back at Katie. "Katie, you do need to know that I do respect you, but this is the truth; out of everyone here, you do have the least amount of control over your powers. No offense."

"None taken. I've had my powers for less than three months," Katie replied, looking completely calm. "I mean, it makes sense that I don't know how to work them. That's why I came. I need to learn how to use these powers in the right way."

"You'll figure it out," Sean said calmly. He glanced towards the door before looking back at Charles. "What's up between Miranda and Erik, anyway?" he wondered, glancing back toward the door as if fearful that either of them were going to suddenly appear.

"Yeah, I'm curious about that, too," Caroline said, raising an eyebrow at a suddenly innocent-looking Moira.

"They're complicated," Charles replied dryly, smiling slightly to himself. "But they'll figure themselves out on their own. They don't need our help for that."

"I think they're good together," Caroline mentioned thoughtfully. Everyone looked at her in surprise as she shrugged. "It's true. Miranda wears her heart on her sleeve, Erik's a lot more guarded. She brings out his vulnerable spots; he's what makes her tougher. They're not opposites, they're complimentary. There's a major difference."

Charles chuckled as the others shot the brunette girl a surprised look. "Exactly," he confirmed. He chuckled. "Ask them yourselves if you want to find out how their relationship is turning out exactly. It's none of my business."

Sean nodded. "I accept that challenge," he replied, giving off a scheming grin.

"You know Erik is a highly dangerous Nazi hunter, right?" Katie asked, her voice slow and loud as if speaking to a young child. "Not to mention one that can slaughter you with a spoon."

Sean's grin only widened. "It's a challenge. Challenges are never bad."

"Except when the challenge involves a metal-controlling Nazi hunter and one of his berserk buttons, especially the berserk button who could probably kill you herself if she wanted."

"Challenges aren't meant to be easy, Katie."

"Challenges aren't meant to be suicidal, Sean."

"Ye of little faith, Ellison."

"Ye of much cockiness, Cassidy."

"Do you think they'll ever shut up?" Hank wondered, looking a bit more exasperated as the Boston teens' verbal sparring match continued with no sign of letting up.

Caroline only smirked. "Don't get your hopes up."

* * *

><p>Hours later, after Charles had successfully tracked down and forced her to let Hank take a blood sample, Miranda stood outside in the yard with the telepath, shooting him a baleful glare as she sat on a bench. Charles seemed to have procured several small, white, rubber balls, and had gathered them onto a pile on the ground.<p>

"So, is there a point to this, Charles?" Miranda asked.

Charles grinned as though he had been waiting for Miranda to ask… and knowing Charles, Miranda realized, he probably had been. "Absolutely," Charles replied, stepping back with two of the rubber balls in hand. "Now, you're electrokinetic. You can control and manipulate electrical currents. If you nurture your powers correctly, you'll be able to do a lot more with electricity than just charging up your hand."

"Like what?" Miranda asked, shooting a curious look at him. She had to admit, what he was saying did sound more than a little interesting.

"This first test is going to try and teach you to be able to throw electricity," Charles explained, holding up one of the white rubber balls. "I'm going to throw this up, you're going to throw electricity on it."

Miranda stared at him for a second. "You're just throwing me to the wolves with this, you know that, right?" she asked, staring at Charles as if he was completely insane.

Charles chuckled. "The last time I checked, experience isn't something that should stop you," he replied, raising an eyebrow at her. He tossed the ball once before catching it in his hand. "It's a step by step process, Miranda. You're not going to get it on the first time. But you can at least try a few times, and eventually, you'll get it."

Miranda sighed before looking down at her hand. "Okay, let's try it," she relented, watching as several sparks shot from her fingertips and down into the grass.

Charles smiled victoriously, nodding briskly as he said, "Alright, your powers charge before they're let loose, so do just that – charge your power, then don't transfer it into your hand, throw it towards the ball." He tossed the ball once, caught it, and then threw it up. "Now!"

Concentrating on the familiar feeling of her powers charging, Miranda threw her hand off. Sparks flew down her arm, hitting both her and Charles. Charles jumped back, several strands of hair standing up on end, while Miranda didn't even react, the electricity being absorbed back into her body. She frowned as the ball dropped to the ground about two dozen feet away, none worse for wear.

Miranda sighed, running a hand through her hair as she shot a discouraged look to Charles. "Well, besides shocking you, that didn't do much," she noted, stating the obvious. She bit her lip.

Charles nodded, somehow not even a little discouraged. "New plan." He picked up another ball, tossing and catching it again before turning to Miranda. "Just think about what you're doing this for. Motivation might be the key here. Just remember that you're doing this for David. For Daniel. For the kids, for the people who have suffered because of Shaw…" Charles paused. "And what is probably the biggest reason of all for you… for Erik."

Miranda closed her eyes, quiet and still for a few moments, before opening her green eyes and nodding once, briskly. Charles nodded back once before tossing the ball, catching it, and then hurling it as hard as he could. "Hit it," Charles ordered, taking several steps back as to avoid any of her discharging electricity.

Miranda threw her arm up immediately; to her surprise, a jolt of electricity did fly from her hand, straight up into the air, disappearing into the clear blue sky above them. Her jaw dropped as she stumbled back from surprise, sparks flying down her arm and hand as she tripped, landing hard on her back. The ball fell to the ground, untouched, a bit away from the first, but Charles gave a victorious laugh.

"That's it, Miranda!" he exclaimed. He pulled Miranda up, and the brunette woman couldn't help but grin as she saw the absolutely thrilled look on Charles's face. "We have to work on your aim and making sure you're able to give off jolts that you control the power of, but that's an excellent start, Miranda. There's so much you can do with this, the possibilities are endless…"

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Just throw another ball, Charles."

Miranda couldn't help but grin as Charles grinned back, looking both pleased and proud, taking another ball as she prepared herself for what she knew was going to be a long training session.

* * *

><p><em>Unknown Location<br>__1962_

"You're just letting them do whatever while you bide your time?"

"My plans don't revolve around that little group. I have a world to create, Renegade. If you want to do something about them, you're more than welcome to."

"I do, actually. Let me track them down."

"You have a plan."

"Look, I'm not going to lie. I don't think they're on the right side, and I find them all fascinating. Hanson and Lensherr in particular. They're been hunting you for years, and since what we learned from Daniel's visions, they've become a bit more facinating."

A small chuckle. "I'll admit that I didn't expect that development. But it works well into the plan."

"Out of curiosity, did you have any idea she was mutant when you killed David?"

"I'll admit that I didn't. That was a pleasant surprise."

"Exactly. She's fascinating. Especially after what we learned from Daniel Holloway's interrogations. But this works for both of us, especially since you lost the Ice Bitch."

"Renegade."

"You know I've never liked her, Shaw."

"_Renegade_."

"Fine. Since you lost that telepathic blonde. Happy?"

"Happier. Continue."

"Let me go find them, distract them until what you've done what you needed to do."

"And what do you need in return?"

"Simple. The enhancer we've been injecting Daniel with reacts when his body shows symptoms that mark when he's about to enter a vision. When it does, he enters a more malleable state that allows for interrogations. Eventually, once his body becomes dependent on the enhancer drug, he'll be malleable enough in that mental state for you to implant enough suggestions for him to join you willingly, which will save us all a lot of trouble. Which means…"

"Ah, I understand now. You want Daniel."

"Since using Lensherr as bait isn't a possibility, Daniel is the best option."

"And not one of the other mutants?"

"They'll be too well guarded. Daniel is the best one, the easiest opportunity. While I'm sure that Hanson would put herself at great risk to save any of the others, Daniel is the one she will die to save, no matter the circumstances."

"Why are you so fascinated by Hanson?"

"Because whatever this boils down to, Miranda Hanson is the key to controlling Erik Lensherr. And that's what you want, correct, Shaw? He was your project for all these years. You know I'm your ally in this. I'm just looking at this logically. I'm sure you've realized that by now. And I'm sure you've planned for that."

As he eavesdropped on the conversation in the other room, Daniel froze in absolute terror. "Oh, God, what have I told them?" he whispered, looking as though he was about to be sick. His memory of the last few days had been shaky, but he hadn't realized what they had been doing to him; he remembered an associate of Shaw's showing up, one that was only called Renegade, and then something being stabbed into his arm.

They were _drugging_ him.

To Daniel's utmost surprise, someone answered his question only a few seconds after it had been asked. "A lot of things."

Daniel looked up sharply, eyes narrowing as the mutant recruit Angel walked forward, looking a bit hesitant. She was pretty, to be sure, but Daniel didn't notice that. He only saw the fact that she had walked away from the recruits that Miranda had found with her new friends, had betrayed them, had caused Darwin's death, however indirectly.

"They've been drugging me and interrogating me," Daniel murmured, rage building in his chest, clearing his head as he realized he was going to have to read carefully from here on out. He didn't want to think what he had seen in his visions, what they were talking about with Erik and Miranda.

Angel nodded, clearly trying to be cold with limited success. "You haven't exactly made it easy on yourself," she pointed out. "You could have just told us what we wanted to know. We wouldn't have to be doing this to you."

"Make it easy on the people who kidnapped, drugged, and plan on brainwashing me, huh? You sure do like blaming the victim for the situation, don't you?"

Angel rolled her eyes. "Do you make sense to yourself ever?"

Daniel gave a predatory smile. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You're blaming me for resisting the people who want to change me for their own purposes, to use my powers to manipulate a woman I consider a sister just because she's a convenient way to get to Shaw's pet project. And let's not forget the big one. You blame Darwin for getting himself killed."

Angel swallowed, looking like one of the few things Daniel truly feared; a cornered woman. At this point, he just didn't care. His own regard for his life was down by now, because at this point, Daniel Holloway didn't care whether he lived or died. "Darwin was a stupid fool. He tried to play the hero, save a damsel in distress when there wasn't one to save. That's why he got killed; he and Alex tried to be heroes, and it got Darwin killed," she snapped back harshly. She turned to leave, her fists clenched in anger.

Daniel gave a bitter laugh. "You think Alex's blast would have been fatal no matter what?" he called over to her, his brown eyes dark and angry as he glared at her retreating back.

Angel stiffened before turning around. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Daniel shot her a scalding, calculating smile. "Darwin could have survived that blast," Daniel explained, his voice a cold taunt that would have made Shaw proud if he could hear. "He _chose not to_. He chose not to so that he could contain the blast. If he hadn't, it would have been the equivalent of a decent sized bomb. Darwin knew that. He knew, and he chose to let himself die so that he could save the others. Sean. Katie. Caroline. Alex. Raven. Hank."

Silence reigned as Daniel repeated, "He _chose_ to die to save them."

"You're lying," Angel spat out, glaring at the captive, dark eyes narrowed, angry, and even a little guilty. "Alex's energy just killed him. You're lying."

Daniel gave a bitter laugh. "No. That night, in the courtyard, I saw it all happen. I saw Darwin die in my vision, and guess what? Darwin could have survived that blast. He chose not to so that he could save the others." Two pairs of dark eyes met as Daniel spat, "Remember the difference between selfishness and selflessness. What you did– betraying you friends for your own gain – was selfish. What Darwin did – saving his friends at the cost of his own life – was selfless."

Angel stormed away. As she turned the corner, Daniel thought that he heard a sob cut through the air. Breathing heavily, Daniel closed his eyes, leaning against the wall. He was silent for a few minutes, cut off from the world, not in a vision, but in his own mind, a mind he was quickly losing control over.

When Daniel opened his eyes again, a few tears managed to escape in the first true sign of despair he had given since Switzerland.


	24. Chapter 23

**Author's Note:** So, yeah. No excuse. I just got caught up in a lot of things - personal drama, family drama, inspiration roadblocks, losing my whole effing laptop followed by all of _Turning Tables_... yeah, hasn't been a good couple of months. But at nine o'clock tonight, I sat myself down with the DVD and said to myself "You are going to get this chapter done and you're not going to sleep until you do!"

... it is now 1:30, but I got it done. I'm posting it and going to bed, but since half of the next chapter is written, I'll hopefully get it up sooner rather than later.

I know I don't deserve it, but please review. Reviews are the back bone of this fic, and it's the reviews that keep me going. So if you want a quick update, leave a review. :) I'd really appreciate it, and I'd love to hear what you want to see. Have any ideas? Lay em on me. I'd love to hear them. :) Also, please drop over to the poll sometime on the 1st. Hopefully by noon I'll have a new poll up, one that'll decide something for later. :)

But a few notes.

1. This breaks 100,000 words, making _Turning Tables_ my longest fanfiction story every published. There is no way that it would have made it this far without all of you, so thank you all so much. You're all incredible, and I hope you've been enjoying this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. But we're not done yet. ;)

2. You guys find out Katie and Caroline's codenames! :D Katie's is from Celtic mythology and is related to her powers and name, while Caroline's is based on her powers and temperment. It should make sense when you read it. :)

3. Don't own First Class. But I've heard rumors that the second First Class (to be released in 2014) will be based on Days of Future Past. My response? Effing yeah! My favorite arc in the comics, and it'll be AWESOME. Since I'll hopefully end up still writing Miranda into it when it comes out, that'll be an AWESOME arc. I hope the rumors are true.

Please review, loves! :)

Oh, yeah. If anyone wants to make a cover thingy for this, feel free. I've tried and failed, lol, but I'll owe a dedication and I'll write a short little request for them. :) Thanks a million, everyone, and please review!

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 23<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Westchester, New York<br>1962_

"This is so not a good idea."

"I can't watch."

"I can. This is better than the movies."

"What if he can't stop it?"

"He's a freaking Nazi hunter, he's going to be able to stop a bullet."

"From point blank range?"

"I have a different question."

"What's the question?"

"Where the hell did Charles get a gun?"

"I think he stole it from Miranda's room. I don't think she's slept in her own room once. She always ends up sleeping in Erik's."

"Oooooh."

"Sean, you pervert. They just talk."

"How would you know?"

"Because my room is down the hall from them. And these walls are paper-thin. I think we'll hear things, if not find metal things levitating everywhere and static electricity on like every possible surface."

"Oh, that's just great."

"No, that's kind of disturbing."

Miranda had walked in just as this conversation had started. She had stood in the doorway, a bit confused at first, but that confusion had turned to horror in a few seconds when she realized what was being said. The horror was actually visible on her face as she stared at the teenagers, who seemed to be watching something out the window.

"Please tell me you're not talking about my sex life," Miranda groaned, noting with even more horror that none of the teenagers had so much as moved when she had spoken.

"Okay. We're not talking about your sex life," Raven replied easily, not taking her eyes from whatever was taking place outside the house.

Miranda shook her head. "That didn't make me feel better."

"Neither will this scene," murmured Katie. She was tapping her foot on the floor; the blond mutant had been celebrating the fact that they had finally removed the makeshift cast on her ankle, since Hank had said she could walk again as long as she took it easy.

The last week had been spent getting used to the house and developing special training for each of them. The kids hadn't played hide and seek for at least two days. Sean claimed that they hadn't because they knew all the hiding spots now. Instead, they had spied on and often pranked the adults for entertainment, and Miranda knew that if they didn't give the kids something to do, like train, Erik was going to kill them all himself.

Miranda frowned as she stepped towards the window. "Why am I not going to like this?" she asked, glancing out. She froze, eyes wide, at the sight of Charles holding her gun to Erik's head, point blank range. "Oh my God!"

Raven nodded. "Yeah. This is kind of a bad idea on Charles's part," she stated, smirking slightly at the sign of panic on her friend's face. Operation Hanson-Lensherr might have been a success, but the problem now was keeping the two together and happy so that the next phase of the plan – them having a little girl that Raven could use as a living doll and spoil without pause – would commence.

"No, not that!" Miranda snapped, eyes narrowing in frustration, much to Raven's surprise. "Your brother _stole my gun_! I never let _Erik_ touch my gun!" She whirled to glare at Alex and Sean, both of whom leaned back warily, a bit put off at the wild look on her face. "Never touch my gun!" With those final words, she stormed off, clearly heading to reclaim her precious gun.

Katie frowned as Miranda headed outside, exchanging a look with Alex as he opened a window and strained to hear the hilarity they both knew was coming. "I think we need to talk to her about her priorities," she stated aloud, looking to Caroline and Hank with a pensive look on her face.

Hank snorted, looking amused despite himself. "What was your first clue?"

* * *

><p>"You're sure?"<p>

Erik barely managed to keep himself from rolling his eyes. "I'm sure."

Charles bit the inside of his cheek as he tightened his hold on Miranda's gun and head it right against Erik's forehead. Every instinct in his body screamed that it was a bad idea, but Charles knew that he was still going to do this. "All right."

For a few seconds, with the tension building to a breaking point, Charles held the gun to Erik's head at point blank range. Erik stood, tense and ready, as Charles struggled to force himself to pull the trigger. Finally, he sighed in defeat and lowered the gun, shooting his friend an apologetic look.

"No. No, I can't, I'm sorry." Erik groaned in frustration and shot the telepath a withering look as Charles shrugged helplessly and added, "I can't shoot anybody point blank, let alone my friend!"

Erik rolled his eyes as he grabbed the gun, Charles still holding it, and pointing it back at his head. "Oh, come on!" he exclaimed, shooting Charles a look that said he couldn't believe that Charles couldn't do this. "You know I can deflect it!" At Charles's still hesitant look, Erik pointed out, "You're always telling me to push myself."

"If you know you can deflect it then you're not challenging yourself!" Charles exclaimed. He lowered the gun but still put kept it in his hand. After a moment, he wondered aloud, "Whatever happened to the man who was trying to raise a submarine?"

Erik paused as he thought back to that night. "With something that big, I need the situation, the anger…" he explained, pausing as he remembered the unbridled rage he had felt, not just at himself for letting Shaw slip through his fingers, but the helpless rage that had come with not knowing whether Miranda was dead or alive.

In the end, Erik knew that his rage concerning Miranda's fate was greater than the anger he had towards himself.

"The anger's not enough," Charles replied, studying Erik's face intently. He didn't need telepathy to know that Erik was thinking of one of the few things – or rather, one of the few people – who the metal-controlling mutant would let his guard down around.

"It's gotten the job done all this time," Erik pointed out, thinking back to a few instances over the years where anger had saved his and Miranda's lives.

"It's nearly gotten you killed all this time." Charles watched as Erik scowled at the truthful argument hit home, several instances flashing before his eyes. "It's the trigger, but you need to learn how to work your powers without that anger. If you get rid of the trigger, the more control you'll have."

Erik had glanced off to somewhere behind Charles as the telepath had been talking. The frustration on his face gave way to anticipation and amusement. "Speaking of anger…" he mentioned, trailing off as Charles frowned and began to turn around.

He barely managed to do so before a fist slammed into his shoulder. Charles let out a yelp and nearly dropped the gun before a clearly furious Miranda grabbed it from him, glaring at Charles. The telepath barely kept himself from backing up at the enraged green eyes that were several inches below. Despite the fact that Miranda was shorter than eve him, he knew that Miranda was not a woman you wanted angry at him.

"You stole my gun!" Miranda exclaimed, looking shocked that Charles had thought of that act, let alone had gone through with it and had pointed it at Miranda's partner.

"We were training!"

"You stole my gun!"

"I would have asked you, but we couldn't find you!"

"You stole my gun!"

"For training!"

"Screw your training! You touched my gun!"

"You let Erik touch it!" Charles protested, gesturing towards the smirking man.

Erik let out a genuine laugh, much to Charles's surprise. "No, she doesn't."

"I never let him touch my gun!" Miranda exclaimed, rolling her eyes as she examined the gun carefully, as if worried that Charles had broken or contaminated it. "I never let anyone touch my gun!" She hit his shoulder again. "I repeat: no one is allowed to touch my gun unless I'm dead or dying or unconscious or some combination of the three. And even then I might hurt you for it."

Charles bit back a laugh and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, I get it. I won't touch your gun. Satisfied?"

Miranda shook her head. "No." She pointed to the window, where all the teenagers were watching. A few of them had the common sense to duck away, but Katie raised an eyebrow at them as she strained to listen. "We need to do something about them. We have the ideas for everyone except Caroline, and I think I've got that covered."

"Excellent," Charles replied, beaming. "We can start today then." He gave a bright smile as he glanced at Erik before looking back to the window. He called over, "Katie, suit up. You're training with Erik in a half hour. Alex, you're with me, same time."

Erik smirked, and Katie's face fell in horror. A moment later, a hysterical laugh that the three adults knew belonged to Sean rang out. Katie scowled before turning and diving towards something out of the sight of the three. A moment later, Sean and Katie's yells broke out, followed by Alex shouting something about being caught in the crossfire, Hank's complaining about their maturity levels, Caroline's orders to break it up, and Raven laughing hysterically at the unseen fight Charles knew was happening.

"Any tips?" Erik wondered, glancing at the two amused mutants on either side of him.

Miranda smirked as Sean yelped in pain somewhere inside of the house, the sound a bit muffled as the group moved away from the room with the open window. "Her trigger is the same as yours. Piss her off."

Erik gestured towards the window as the shouting continued. "I think that Sean is better at that than I could ever hope to be."

"Well, problem solved. Act like Sean."

Erik only rolled his eyes. "Wonderful. You know we'll be lucky if we don't end up at each other's throats in an hour."

Miranda smirked, and Charles rolled his eyes at the banter that had become a familiar and almost comforting constant. "I give it a half an hour."

"Shut up, Hanson."

"Make me, Lensherr."

* * *

><p>"Why am I not surprised that this house has a creepy underground bunker?"<p>

"Because this is the sort of house that horror films take place in?"

"This would be where the monster is, then."

"Pretty much."

As the group of three made their way down a stairwell, Miranda glanced forward to Charles, who was leading them to a set of thick steel doors. Alex was several feet behind her, carrying a manikin. "Charles, why is there an underground bunker in your house?" she wondered, almost afraid of the answer.

"My stepfather took the possibility of nuclear war quite seriously," Charles replied, a smile still on his face from the conversation he had been listening to. "This way." As the group of three entered the bunker, the lights turned on. "That's why he had this bunker built."

Miranda blinked. "And I thought Erik was paranoid."

"I thought we could use it as a practice range of sorts," Charles replied, chuckling slightly at the comment.

Alex blinked in surprise as he looked around, following Charles. Miranda remained at the door, watching as Alex carried the manikin down to the far end. "You don't think I'm going to blow through the walls?" he asked, sounding a bit nervous.

"He had this place built to withstand a nuclear bomb, Alex," Charles replied, chuckling to himself as Alex placed the manikin down in the middle of the far end. "I think it can handle you."

As the two made their way back to the door and Miranda, Alex shot Charles one last desperate, nervous look. "You know, when I do this, bad things tend to happen," he reminded the telepath. Neither Charles nor Miranda needed telepathy to know that he was thinking about Darwin.

"That's because you can't control it," Charles replied as he and Alex reached the end of the room with the doors. Miranda took a step in, joining the two male mutants. She glanced at the manikin on the far side as Charles added, "It controls you. That's why we're here, Alex." He paused before adding, "It's why we're training."

"Wait, if Alex is training and you're training him, why am I here?" Miranda wondered, shooting Alex and Charles a curious frown. Alex had asked her to come down here a bit earlier, while the others had also begun training on their own.

"You're the moral support, Mom," Alex replied, shooting the curly-haired brunette a teasing grin. His grin remained after Miranda swatted him on the back of the head, her green eyes rolling as a small smirk rested on his face.

"Don't call me Mom," Miranda chided gently, giving a good-natured chuckle. "Just do your best for now, and we'll get on with the technical improvement stuff later. Do what you can."

Alex paused as he glanced at the manikin. After a moment, he looked back to Charles and Miranda. "If you're serious about me doing this, you might want to get back," he warned them.

"All right," Miranda replied, squeezing Alex's arm once before heading to the door, stopping once she entered the hallway.

Charles followed her before turning back around to Alex. "Shall I shut the door?" he asked, one hand resting on the thick metal.

Alex nodded, looking more wary with each passing second. "Yeah," he replied, disappearing as Charles closed the door, leaving Alex in the bunker.

Charles shouted, "Whenever you're reading." He pressed a button on the wall, and the light turned red to signal that it was unsafe to enter. It was in that moment that Caroline, dressed in a female version of Alex's sweats, entered, glancing at the door as she stopped next to Miranda.

"How's he doing?" Caroline asked curiously, shooting the door a worried look.

"We'll see," Charles replied, grinning as the light turned green. He opened the door, and Caroline and Miranda both leaned forward to get a peek into the room.

Whatever the three had been expecting, it was not the entire room being on fire. Everything but the manikin had been touched, and fires were lit everywhere in the room, illuminating every corner. Alex stood, unharmed, where he had before, looking a bit sheepish.

"Oh my God," Charles exclaimed, grabbing a fire extinguisher and hurrying to the closest set of flames. He shot Alex a determined look before vowing, "I will teach you to control this, Alex."

Alex shot Miranda a frustrated look as Charles rushed around with a fire extinguisher, trying to douse the many flames of the room. His eyes lit up in surprise as he saw that Caroline had joined them. Caroline made her way gingerly to Alex, glancing around in wonder. "I told you this isn't going to work," he muttered, shaking his head.

Miranda sighed before patting Alex's arm. "Don't worry about it. We'll keep trying."

"If it makes you feel better, you probably did better than I'm going to do," Caroline told him, shooting him a halfway cheerful smile.

Alex only rolled his eyes.

* * *

><p>"This isn't working!"<p>

Biting back a scathing remark to the teenage girl, Erik settled for shooting a dark look at the small blond. "Do it again."

Dressed in a pair of gray pants and a tank top and feeling uncomfortable in clothing that weren't her usual skirts and dressed, Katie glared furiously at Erik. "It's not working, Erik!" she snapped, furious.

Out of the corner of his eye, as he and Katie stood next to the fountain that rested on the path that went around the house, into the woods, and back around, Erik caught bubbles forming in the fountain. Katie's temper was easily provoked, but the matter was getting it to the point where Katie's powers would progress naturally. The matter was getting it so that Katie didn't need to get angry to use her powers.

A bit away, Sean and Moira sat watching them. With Raven and Hank currently on their run, Sean was the only one left watching beside the CIA agent. The blond shapeshifter and the brunet scientist had decided to train on their own for a bit, while Miranda and Charles were focusing on Alex for the afternoon. Erik had agreed to train Katie, and Sean knew that he and Caroline were up for this afternoon. However, Sean had a feeling that Alex's session hadn't gone that well, and judging from the complete lack of progress from Katie's session, Sean was dreading his session more than a little.

"Hate to admit it, but I'm kinda glad Charles is the one in charge of my training," he murmured to Moira as he watched the signs that showed Katie was steadily growing more furious with Erik every passing second.

"I'm glad I'm just training you all," Moira replied, glad that she didn't have to go through all that the younger teenagers were going through.

Sean smirked before calling out, "C'mon, Kelpie, you can do better than that!"

Erik frowned at the water as Katie whirled towards Sean, blue eyes narrowed. The water bubbled more intensely, little waves lapping at the edges as the blond shouted, "Shut up, Banshee!" She whirled back to the metal-controlling mutant as Sean shrank back a bit, though he didn't seem that affected by the yelling.

"Erik, it isn't working!" Katie snapped again, the anger easily heard in her voice. Her face was flushing as well, out of both frustration with Erik and anger at herself that she wasn't progressing at all.

"You're not trying hard enough," Erik snapped, watching as actual rage entered the blonde's eyes. "Do it again."

"I'm not trying?" repeated Katie, looking actually hurt at that comment. "How freaking dare you, you-"

There was a hissing sound, and Katie jumped at it as Erik looked into the water sharply. The fountain's water was rushing and jumping around, the normally smooth surface as rough as the ocean in a storm. As Katie watched it, however, it immediately went still again, much to Katie's surprise and Erik's disappointment. The Nazi hunter bit back a curse as the realization hit Katie, causing her to whirl on him.

Katie stared in shock at Erik, and the hunter sighed with disappointment as the bubbles in the water disappeared instantly. "Are you trying to piss me off?" she demanded, blue eyes narrowed as the water in the fountain calmed down immediately.

Erik raised an eyebrow as the teenager finally caught on, but sighed as he realized that it probably wouldn't work again. "Yes, but clearly it's not working." He looked around, stopping as his gaze found Sean, who seemed to be trying to look small as he realized Erik was watching him. He smirked slightly. "I think I have another idea."

Katie couldn't help but feel dread at those words.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, due to the fact that both did have a bit more control than the younger kids, Raven and Hank had been jogging around, both out of a need to actually do something and for an excuse to spend a bit of alone time with each other without anyone – particularly overprotective telepathic brothers – to spy on them.<p>

In Raven's mind, this was the perfect excuse. As the two made their way up the hill, Raven turned to Hank, remembering a conversation she had had with Charles earlier about the cute brunet scientist.

"'In each of us, two natures are at war,'" Raven recited, watching Hank carefully for his reaction. She smiled as she watched it appear on his face.

Hank shot her a surprised look, giving a half smile as he replied, "Robert Louis Stevenson, _Jekyll and Hyde_. You've read it?"

Raven shot him a teasing smile. "C'mon, just because I'm pretty doesn't mean I'm not smart." She shrugged. "Charles gave me the book for my last birthday, and I heard you two talking about it on our way from DC to the base." She shrugged. "I always felt bad for him, always being so afraid of himself."

"Jekyll was afraid of what he was capable of," Hank murmured. He glanced at his feet as he and Raven made their way up the hill. "And with good reason."

Raven shrugged as she looked at Hank. "So are you."

Hank shot her a look. "Because it's not something I could do good with."

Raven shook her head and took a step forward, kissing Hank on the cheek before taking a step back. "I call bull on that," she replied, shooting him a cheerful smile, a faint blush running across her cheeks. "I don't see any way you could do harm."

She took a step back, and bit her lip. "Look, obviously your case isn't as bad as Jekyll. You're not going to go crazy like that. What you can do is so much better, and hiding it doesn't help anyone, least of all yourself. You were made the way you are, and you have to embrace it."

Hank still looked a little hesitant, and Raven paused. "Tell you what," she finally said, looking up at Hank with a determined set to her jaw. "I'll start embracing who I am if you do. Because I'll tell you what, I'm damn tired of hiding. We both need to take baby steps. Because if we can't accept ourselves, we can't expect the rest of the world to do it."

Hank chuckled. "I'm not really sure how they wouldn't be able to accept you," he admitted, watching the vivacious blond with a surprising tenderness in his gaze.

"Well, I'm just special." With a cheeky grin, she jogged away. When she was several yards away, she turned around and shot him a grin. "C'mon, you gonna let me beat you?"

For a moment, the scientist had stood there, mulling over what Raven had said. Hank recovered at the remark, and chuckled as he followed the shapeshifter, her words echoing in his head as he finally forced himself to consider what he could do.

* * *

><p>As the afternoon sun beat down mercilessly on them, Caroline stood on the grass and watched Miranda warily. "I'm probably going to regret asking, but why do you guys have those balls?" she asked, glancing at the large bucket of balls on the ground.<p>

A few yards away, Miranda smirked, tossing a ball up and down a few times as she watched the younger brunette. Alex, Raven, and Erik sat on the wall behind her, Alex looking more than a little exhausted, and Raven carried a self-satisfied smirk that just begged for someone to ask her why she was smiling. At the moment, everyone was holding back the temptation.

"Easy. This is going to be a test. We're going to throw the balls at you, and you're going to phase through them," Miranda explained.

Caroline rolled her eyes as she rubbed her temples. "I swear, I have the lamest powers in history," she lamented, shaking her head. "This is not going to work."

Miranda groaned. "Why are you all so pessimistic?" she wondered, turning around to glare at Alex and Erik.

"Realistic," corrected Erik, smirking slightly at Miranda.

"Shut up, Lensherr!" Miranda turned her attention back to Caroline. "Look, you have to start small. By the time we're done with you, you'll be diving in the middle of a gunfight and saving someone from getting shot."

Alex smirked. "No pressure," he called out, shooting a charming smile at Caroline. He had gone through the same thing this morning, and despite the faith he had in the brunette, Alex had a feeling that this was going to go as well as his session with Charles and Miranda had earlier.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Havok."

"My pleasure, Faerie."

"Focus!" Miranda reminded Caroline, throwing a ball at the brunette. She jumped out of the way, but the ball hit her on the arm.

Caroline yelped before turning to glare at Miranda. "What are these, rocks?" she demanded, picking up the ball from the ground and glaring at it. She tossed it back towards Miranda, scowling as she rubbed her arm.

"Rubber," corrected Miranda, smirking slightly. She caught the one that Caroline tossed at her, grinning slightly. "I use these for training. I electrocute them. I'm actually getting better at throwing lightning because of these things."

"Wonderful," Erik groaned, leaning in towards Raven and Alex. "Now she doesn't need to be anywhere near us to hit us."

"Shut up, Lensherr!"

Erik smirked as both Alex and Raven chuckled. "Make me, Hanson."

With a groan, Caroline resigned herself for what she knew was going to be the worst afternoon of her life.

* * *

><p>A bit away from the first group, a window of glass shattered as Sean shot a sonic blast at him. With him on the grass lawn were Charles, Moira, Katie, and Hank, all of whom were wearing thick earmuffs to protect them from the sonic blast. However, all four still winced at the sharp, high-pitched sound. Sean gave a smirk as the shattered glass fell down onto the ground below.<p>

Charles pulled off his earmuffs and beamed at Sean. "What you're doing is incredible," he said, clearly getting into his professor mode. "What you're doing is hitting a pitch of sound waves that have the same resonant frequency as the glass. That's why it shatters." He paused as he saw the looks of confusion on the faces of the two high school students faces.

Hank rolled his eyes. "Sean is able to break it because the blast is high pitched enough," he explained, in terms that he knew the high school kids would understand. Sure enough, the looks of confusion faded away after a second.

"But this is like any other muscle in the body," Charles added, pointing at Sean's throat. "You can control it."

Sean gave a cocky grin. "You hear that?" he asked Katie cheerfully, causing his fellow Bostonian to scowl immediately. "It's just another muscle."

Katie snorted. "Uh huh. Whatever." She looked over at Hank. "When do we get to throw him out a window?"

"Tomorrow," Hank replied, smiling slightly at both the thought of throwing the red head out a window and the look on Katie's face at the thought.

Sean froze, and then looked at both of them. "Wait, we're doing what?" he demanded, shooting a startled look at Charles. "Why am I getting thrown out the window? I haven't done anything too bad lately! I've been on my best behavior!"

"Can we do it now?" Katie asked, ignoring the increasingly panicked look on Sean's face.

Hank shook his head ruefully as Sean's panic began to turn into hysteria. "The wings aren't ready yet. I have to put the last touches on them today."

"What the hell are you talking about? What wings? I don't like heights that much! Charles, tell me I'm not getting thrown out the window!"

It was in that moment that Charles developed a deep respect for any teacher back in Boston that had been forced to deal with both Sean and Katie.

* * *

><p>"So?"<p>

Later that night, the four adults sat in Charles's study. All four were exhausted, and Charles would have been the first to admit that the results they had gotten today had been less than spectacular, but he was refusing to be daunted by this task. These were good kids, and Charles had every faith in them.

Miranda sighed as she sat next to Erik. "Not a good first day. Caroline's powers are fine; it's her confidence that's killing her control." She glanced at Charles as she added, "I think Alex can control it; the matter is convincing himself that he can do it without hurting anyone. But apparently Raven and Hank did fine."

Charles groaned. "Of course they did," he muttered, clearly less than thrilled that his baby sister was getting closer and closer with a guy that clearly shared an interest with her.

Erik actually looked a bit frustrated as he said, "I think the only way to piss off Katie to the point where she'll be able to learn control is to use Sean, so we'll be trying that. If that doesn't work…"

Moira groaned as she ran a hand through her straight brown locks. "I know that Sean is fantastic at breaking things, but I'm not sure how throwing him out a window is going to accomplish anything but make Katie and Alex hysterical with laughter."

"Wait, we're throwing Sean out a window?"

"Charles and Hank apparently think he can fly."

"I'd ask for an explanation, but that would probably involve science terms, and I'm too exhausted to pretend I understand them."

Charles leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. "So in other words, today was less than stellar," he summarized.

"Pretty much," Miranda replied.

Erik snorted. "We have a long way to go." Miranda let her head fall back onto Erik's shoulder. Charles sighed and rubbed his temples. Moira ran a hand through her hair. Erik smirked at the displays of exhaustion the three had just given. "But…" Everyone turned back to him, surprised. "They can get there."

And for the first time in several days, hope returned in the moment it was most needed.


	25. Chapter 24

**Author's Note:** Well, hello there. :)

Welcome to Chapter 24, in which we drop Sean out a window, Caroline and Alex flirt and be adorable, Erik attempts to piss off Katie with mixed results, and Miranda just watches and enjoys.

Only about a day after the last update, too! :D And Chapter 25 is written, so the more reviews I get and the more quickly I get them, the sooner Chapter 25 comes out, which includes a very sweet Erik/Miranda scene for those who have been missing them. But thanks to my lovely reviewers who really stepped up and got me six reviews in like twenty-four hours. You six are the reason that this chapter is up and written so quickly.

As always, I don't own First Class. I own Daniel, Katie, Miranda, and Caroline. Katie is my favorite at the moment thanks to a certain scene below, but Miranda is my favorite next chapter. :) But I love them all. Please don't steal them without my permission.

Oh, and I have another reason for you guys to review. In my opinion, Daniel is awesome next chapter. You all want to see Daniel be awesome, right? Well, then review, and see him be awesome and fight back against Shaw! Reviews go to helping Daniel do that! Oh, and for Miranda/Erik fluff. But you guys would get that anyway.

Enjoy, please review, and thanks for reading, loves.

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 24<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Westchester, New York<br>1962_

Despite the television being on in one side of the room, no one was paying attention to it. The six younger mutants were all lounging around, exhausted and frustrated by the day's events. Alex and Caroline shared one of the couches, while Sean had taken up residence on the ground in front of it, his back leaning against the couch. Katie also sat on the floor, directly in front of the second couch. Raven sat behind her, messing with Katie's hair, while Hank had said something about working on Sean's wings, much to the horror of Sean and the absolute amusement of Katie.

The five were all dressed in the sweats that Charles had handed out earlier, saying that it was easier for them to train in these outfits than their normal ones. Katie's hair was out of its earlier ponytail, while Caroline and Raven's still remained in theirs.

"So it didn't go so well today?" Raven asked, glancing at each of the younger teens in turn.

Alex snorted, running a hand through his blond hair. "I set the entire bunker on fire. I don't exactly count that as a success."

"Better than mine," Katie admitted, scowling at herself. She was playing with her locket. The blonde had explained earlier that the locket was her mother's, who had given it to her to wear when she had gone with Erik, Charles, Sean, and Miranda. "It ended up with Erik and me yelling at each other and getting nothing done."

"Miranda threw rubber balls at me for an hour and the only thing I got out of it are a bunch of circle bruises on my arms," Caroline reported, pointing to a series of bruises on both arms.

"They're throwing me out a window." Sean scowled and then glared at Katie. "Some friends I have here. I don't like heights! Why do they think I can fly?!"

"Because you're special, Sean," Alex said in a deadpan voice, smirking despite his exhaustion.

"We're all special, remember?" Caroline asked, shooting Alex a tired smile.

Katie leaned against Raven's legs and hesitated before admitting, "After I got my powers, I wanted nothing more for them to be gone." She started to play with a small locket she had on, watching the floor as the others watched her. "I was so scared, and I felt like a freak… I just wanted them gone."

"Katie…" Sean murmured, shooting her a sympathetic look.

Raven bit her lip. "You're not the only one," she admitted. She took a deep breath before simply saying, "Watch."

Everyone turned to the oldest mutant present. Raven shifted uncomfortably of the gaze of the others, and then closed her eyes. A moment later, the gorgeous blond disappeared, replaced by a blue-skinned, red-headed form that held an exotic beauty of its own. Raven held back a wince at the looks of surprise on their faces.

"This is what I really look like," Raven simply said, surprised at the fact that none of them had moved. They were all surprised, but none of them looked horrified or disgusted, much to her absolute relief.

"Why do you hide it?" Caroline asked gently, her face sympathetic.

Raven smiled dryly. "To avoid causing mass public hysteria?" she asked dryly, Caroline's question hitting home in more ways than one.

"I mean around us," Caroline corrected gently. She gestured around towards the others. "I mean, you don't have to hide it around us. We're all in this together, as cliché as that sounds. We don't have to hide it."

Raven chuckled. "I'm taking baby steps," she promised, shifting back to her blonde form. As Katie shot her a look, Raven held her hands. "Look, I've been hiding my whole life. I'm tired of it, but… I can't just stay on one radical side for years then go to the other no problem. Baby steps."

"I think that's what we all need to do," Caroline admitted. As Alex shot her a puzzled look, Caroline gave a shrug. "I mean, we all came here and expect to be awesome right away. That's not gonna happen. Baby steps. We'll get there; we just need to be patient."

Alex gestured towards her. "Words of wisdom. And yet, she's the quiet one."

Caroline shot him a teasing smile. "It's always the quiet ones, remember?" He shot her a genuine smile, and Raven smirked as the faintest pink blush crossed Caroline's cheeks.

"I thought that only applied when the quiet one goes crazy and kills everyone," Sean pointed out, frowning as he shot a wary look at Caroline.

"If you're going to go crazy and kill everyone, go after Sean first," Raven requested, smirking as Sean shot her a mock hurt look.

Caroline rolled her eyes.

* * *

><p>"Alright, Hank, you have to beat him. Because if you don't, we'll never hear the end of it."<p>

As he stood at the starting line of the makeshift racecourse they had set up, Hank chuckled and smiled down at Raven. "Glad to hear about your priorities, Raven." He glanced down at his bare feet, and at the pebbles that littered the path that surrounded the mansion.

The blond giggled. "I want you to win against my own brother, don't I?" she asked, cocking her head and running a hand through her loose blond locks. Earlier this morning, she had gone down to breakfast in her natural form, while Hank had gone without shoes.

Raven chuckled before winking at Hank. "Baby steps, Hank," she reminded him, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. Before Hank could react, she had hurried away, towards where the rest of the group was waiting for the race to begin.

Hank shot an uncomfortable look towards Charles, who was standing a few feet away and had been watching the entire time. The telepath raised an eyebrow, and the two hyper intelligent mutants stood there in an awkward silence for almost a full minute.

"If you hurt her," Charles finally stated, shooting the taller male a warning look. "You don't want to know what I'll do to you."

"Understood," Hank replied immediately, giving a brisk nod. He glanced up towards the finish line, where Raven was sitting with the others. The blond waved over, and Hank smiled before waving back.

Charles grinned cheerfully at the confirmation and replied, "Good." He leaned down in a runner's starting position, and Hank did the same. Hank took a deep breath as Charles said, "Let the beast free, Hank." He paused before finally starting, "One… two… three… go!"

Both bolted from the starting line, but it was only a few seconds before Hank started to leave Charles behind in the dust. The brunet scientist raced ahead, passing the finish line before Charles was a third of the way there. But the mutant didn't stop; he kept going

"Wait, what's he doing?" Katie asked, frowning as she watched.

Raven grinned. "Graduating from baby steps." She looked back to the starting line, and grinned as Hank passed it again and made his way to Charles, tapping his shoulder as Charles finally made it to the finish line.

Hank was beaming, and Raven jumped up and hugged him. "You did great!"

Alex rolled his eyes and smiled before nodding towards Hank. "Not bad, bozo."

The brunet mutant nodded back, and Caroline couldn't help but grin at the small symbol of peace between the two, who hadn't gotten along the best as of late.

"Hank's raised the bar, kids," Miranda warned them. She and Erik stood a bit back, and no one had failed to notice that one of Erik's arms was around her waist. "You guys have to meet it."

Katie smiled. "We can do that."

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Sean was constantly whispering to himself "baby steps" as he prepared for what he thought was his doom. In the room next door, Katie was regarding the situation in a far different light.<p>

"Oh, happy day!" cheered Katie as she crowded into the window with Alex, Raven, and Erik. She looked down below and waved cheerfully at Caroline and Miranda. Erik rolled his eyes as Katie's behavior, but didn't seem too annoyed at it. "We're throwing Sean out a window! It is such a happy day!"

On the ground below, Caroline leaned in towards Miranda. "I don't think I've seen her this happy in the time that I've known her," she said quietly, rolling her eyes with a small smile.

"Well, you have a brother, right?" Miranda asked, glancing over at Caroline with a grin of her own. The brunette gave a quick nod before Miranda continued, "Haven't you ever wanted to throw him out a window? I know I've wanted to throw Erik out of one more than once."

Caroline smirked, laughing at the mental images she was getting from this conversation. "Yeah, but I don't feel the way about my brother that Katie feels about Sean."

"Touché."

In the room above, Sean glanced at the black and yellow wings on his back nervously. He turned back to Hank, mistrust and nervousness in his eyes as he demanded, "And you're sure this will work?"

"Anything is possible," Hank replied, clearly not noticing the look of increasing panic appearing on Sean. Hank continued talking, regardless. "I based the design-"

Charles noticed the look of increasing panic on Sean's face and ordered, "Hank, stop talking." The scientist fell silent instantly, scowling to himself as he double checked to see if the wings on Sean's back were properly secured. "Come on."

Hank and Charles guided the reluctant redhead to the window. In the room next door, the four mutants were crowded in. Sean swallowed nervously as he sat on the ledge, looking down at the green hedge below. "This is not going to work."

"Optimism, Sean, optimism!" Miranda shouted up, wincing as she tried to estimate the distance between Sean and the ground.

"You're not the one about to be pushed out a window!" Sean yelled back down, trying to scoot back into the room.

"C'mon, Sean," Alex called over, smirking as the redhead turned his glare to him. "Just jump."

"Aren't friends supposed to stop you from taking the plunge?" Sean wondered aloud, looking around wildly for someone to get him out of this situation.

"Not around here!" Katie replied, glancing down before turning her attention back to Sean. "Now jump!"

Charles rolled his eyes before patting Sean's arm. "Now, remember, scream as loud as you can."

Sean glanced down again and shuddered. "That's not going to be a problem," he muttered darkly, shuddering again as he tightened his grip on the ledge of the window.

"You need the sound waves to be supersonic," Hank explained, not entirely aware that each word he spoke only increased Sean's already hyper levels of panic. "Catch them at the right angle and they should carry you."

Sean gave a sarcastic laugh before shooting a look to Hank. "They should carry me. That's reassuring." He paused. "Oh, wait. No it isn't! I'm going to die!"

"Stop being dramatic and jump already!" Katie exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "The sooner you jump, the sooner you'll be done with it."

Charles chuckled before patting Sean's arm again. "You heard the girl. Good luck and don't forget to scream." He and Hank returned to inside the window, waiting along with the others for Sean to jump out.

Sean swallowed again before crossing himself on the chest. A moment later, he took a deep breath and pushed himself on the edge. A few seconds later, he let out a startled yell, following by the rustling thud of him falling into the bushes.

The reactions of the others were instantaneous. Erik, Raven, Alex, and Katie all laughed, though Katie had also winced a bit. Miranda and Caroline, at the bottom, grimaced at the sight and then hurried forward to try and pull Sean out of the bushes. Charles groaned from his position in the room, and Hank shook his head with a slight smirk on his face.

Sean spat out a leaf as Miranda and Caroline pulled him out. "Well, that was useless," Sean said bluntly, glaring up towards the others.

"Baby steps, Sean," Caroline reminded him, patting him on the arm as she pulled off a few twigs. "Baby steps."

Sean only grumbled in response.

* * *

><p>As the balls flew through the air, Caroline forced herself not to dive out of the way. After over an hour of this, however, she had long since reached her breaking point. "This is useless!" she grumbled, glaring over towards where Miranda and Alex had stopped throwing balls at her for the moment. She ran a hand through her hair, dangerously close to crying with frustration.<p>

Alex set a ball down before walking forward without a word. Miranda paused in her ball-throwing, watching as Alex made his way to Caroline, who was pulling her hair back into a ponytail. Alex stopped right in front of her, grabbing each of her shoulders in his hands.

She looked up at him, startled, as he told her quietly, "Hey, it's alright. Don't worry if you make mistakes now. Just keep going. We have faith in you. You just have to keep going."

"Easier said than done," Caroline muttered, shaking her head as she tried to force herself to look away from Alex. She couldn't.

Alex shot her a look. "Do it for me, then," he replied.

That got her attention. She looked up softly at him, her eyes softening as she gave a single quick nod. Alex smiled down warmly at her before turning around and going back to Miranda. He picked up the ball, and as soon as Caroline nodded her ready, he tossed it at her. Miranda did the same, and the balls flew towards her. They began to hit her again quickly enough.

With Alex's words echoing in her head, Caroline closed her eyes and concentrated.

Everyone else was making progress, and she was not going to be left behind. She was not going to be something that was weighing everything else down. She was going to pull her weight, and be a member of this team. She had given up everything for this. And at the same time, she was gaining everything she could ever hope for.

With a calm breath, Caroline reached out.

In that moment, she disappeared, and several balls passed through the space she had been moments before.

"Oh my God!" Miranda dropped the ball she had been holding. Next to her, Alex paused as well, a glowing grin quickly appearing on his face as he realized what had just happened. Erik, Raven, and Katie all stared at the sight in amazement, watching as Caroline reappeared a few seconds later. "Caroline, you did it!" Miranda exclaimed, her own excitement getting the best of her.

Caroline's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me." She stared at each of her present teammates in turn, absolute glee entering her eyes as she exclaimed, "You're kidding me."

"Caroline, you did it," repeated Alex, absolutely beaming at her. "You did great!"

"Oh my God, I actually did it!" Caroline squealed in excitement, running over to the group and pulling Miranda into a hug. She released the brunette a moment later, and then jumped over to Alex.

Almost quicker than anyone could see, Caroline kissed Alex before hugging the stunned mutant and hurrying over towards Raven and Katie. The three started jumping up and down, and any words that the three were exchanging were lost in their excited, thrilled yells. Alex's face was currently home to a deep red blush, and he was staring at Caroline in amazement.

Miranda grinned over at Erik, rolling her eyes as he chuckled himself. The brunette electricity controlling mutant turned her attention back to Alex. The younger mutant was still blushing furiously, but a dazed grin had appeared on his face as he continued to watch Caroline, a surprising tenderness at play in his eyes.

Miranda gave a sigh. "Oh, Alex is growing up," she teased, laughing as Alex whirled and glared at her. "Oh, c'mon, that was adorable."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Mom."

Miranda didn't reply as she looked back at Erik and beamed.

The genuine smile she received back made her feel as though everything that had happened up to this point was worth it.

* * *

><p>Katie let out an alarmed yell as a bucket of cool water was dumped over her head. Pulling strands of soaked blond hair away from her face, she glared at a smirking Erik a few feet away. "What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded, her voice higher pitched than normal.<p>

She turned around, glaring at the certain redhead holding the bucket. Sean shot her a cheerful look, but glanced down warily as the water in the fountain began to swirl around. Katie failed to notice it, however, and instead turned her glare back to Erik. The moment her back was turned, Sean leaned down and filled the bucket with water again.

"This, Katie, is reinforcement," Erik replied, smirking slightly as he realized that Katie's temper could only be stoked further from here. "If you use your powers, you won't get soaked."

"Erik, this isn't-"

Erik smirked. "Sean."

As Miranda made her way over to the group, Katie let out a startled yelp as Sean let loose another bucket of water on here. "Sean, I'm going to kill you!" Katie vowed, closing her eyes and refusing to turn around.

"C'mon, Katie, you can do this," Sean told her. He refilled the bucket of water and then stood behind her, smirking slightly at the soaking wet girl. "You just need to focus. You don't have to get angry, you just have to do what you have to."

Katie had paused when Sean had started talking, and sighed before closing her eyes. Sean watched her quietly, and Miranda paused next to Erik. "I thought you were using Sean to piss her off," Miranda murmured, shooting him a questioning look.

He chuckled. "Let's say that I learned from you that pissing someone off doesn't always work," Erik admitted, smiling down at her. Miranda beamed up at him, and a moment later, a startled yelp from the fountain drew both of their attention.

The water that had been in Sean's bucket had disappeared, and was slowly floating back into the fountain. Katie had turned around at Sean's yelp, her hand outstretched as she moved the water around carefully, a huge, beaming grin on her face.

"Katie, you're doing it," Sean exclaimed, grinning proudly at her. A moment later, Katie paused and smirked as she flicked her hand sharply. A large amount of water in the fountain flew up and hit Sean, knocking him down into the fountain's water, his whole body underwater within second.

A moment later, the water that remained in the air fell to the ground as Katie laughed hysterically. As his head broke the surface of the water, Sean gave several violent coughs before turning to glare at Katie. Without saying a single word, he then smirked and dove forward, pulling Katie into the water with him. Katie yelped in surprise as she became even more soaked than she had been a few minutes earlier.

However, much to Miranda's surprise, Katie did not become angrier. She merely grinned.

A few moments later, the teenagers were involved in what was clearly a serious water fight. Erik rolled his eyes before putting an arm around Miranda's shoulder. "Let's go," he said. "I doubt I'll be able to do anything else with either of them today."

With those last words, the two walked off, the laughter of the teens following them every step of the way.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, as he stared down at the insanely stupid suit with the weird circle in the middle, Alex couldn't help but wish he was anywhere but here. "Sexy," he commented dryly, turning a glare towards Hank. Despite the attempts of both to be more civil, there was only so much both could do at a time.<p>

As she entered the bunker, Caroline shot him a smile. "Well, I think so," she said, leaning against the wall. Miranda, standing next to her, only rolled her eyes with a smile, ignoring the smug smirk that had appeared on Alex.

"Well, this is just the prototype," Hank said, both defending his intention from Alex and to explain it further to Charles and Miranda. The real one will look considerably better. "It will be a whole suit," he added, pointing at one particular part of the suit. "See, these sensors measure your energy output, this panel focuses it, and the excess is absorbed."

"Nicely done, Hank," Miranda said, shooting him an encouraging smile. She turned her attention to Alex. "Just stay calm, and do what you can. You've been having great progress."

Alex snorted. "Yeah. Last time we tried this I only set _half_ the bunker on fire."

"And this time you'll hit the manikin," Caroline predicted, grinning cheerfully at him.

Charles pointed down to the three manikins at the far end of the room, directing Alex's attention to the center one. "Hit the one in the middle, and only the one in the middle." He patted Alex's back before heading out of the room, followed by Hank and Miranda. Caroline shot Alex a quick encouraging smile before following the others into the hallway.

As Charles shut the metal door behind him, Miranda looked to Hank. "You think this will help him?" she asked, clearly referring to the vest they had strapped him in.

"Positive," Hank replied confidently. The group glanced up as the light next to the door changed. Charles opened up the metal door, pausing when he saw Alex on the ground, sitting and shaking his head on the two burning manikins on either side of the untouched center one.

Charles grabbed the fire extinguisher as Caroline walked in, glancing up the black marks in the ceiling that signaled where Alex had accidentally hit. The brunette sat next to the blond mutant, who had instead began scowling at the two burning manikins.

Alex glared at Caroline as he ran a hand through his short blond hair. "If you say baby steps, I might have to hurt you, Caroline," he warned, looking frustrated and embarrassed. "This is freaking impossible."

Caroline sighed and then squeezed his arm. "Relax, you're doing fine," she said, looking at the two burning manikins. She finally sighed and then looked up at him. "Hey, what did you say to me earlier?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alex bit his lip as he thought back to back before Caroline's earlier training session. "Don't sweat making a few mistakes," he remembered. "Just keep going."

"Exactly." Caroline nodded once before pointing at the manikins. "You have to keep going and be proud of what you've done so far." Her encouraging smile turned teasing as she lightly tapped the circle on Alex's vest. "All while in your super sexy outfit."

Alex scoffed before rustling Caroline's brown hair. "Whatever, Caroline," he murmured. His hand pulled back, and paused before grabbing Caroline's and squeezing, not letting go. He paused before looking back at her, his smile genuine and grateful. "Thanks," he added.

Caroline smiled and squeezed back. "Anytime," she replied simply.

* * *

><p>That night, with the four exhausted adults spread across the room, Charles turned to Erik. "So, we're making progress?" he asked casually.<p>

Erik gave a small smile. "We're making progress."

He closed his eyes as the other three cheered, too tired to join in, but not too tired for his smile to grow.


	26. Chapter 25

**Author's Note:** Holy... ask and you will recieve. I asked for reviews, and you guys delivered like crazy. I'm very impressed, and I could do no less than to update again before I head off for the day. And tonight will be dedicated to writing Chapter 26, which has a very definite plan but not very much written of it. But you guys will like it; it'll go into a plot not in the movies, and lead into a bigger one not in the movies.

But it'll be fun. With plenty of Miranda/Erik moments. Like the one in this chapter, which was sweet and almost heartbreaking to write. Plus it's from Erik's perspective. We can never get too much of that. But this is a fun chapter, so I think you'll all enjoy it. There's a minor time skip so that I don't have to write out every little day of training, but as Beloved Daughter mentioned last chapter, it's unrealistic for the kids to be miracle workers in one day. I agreed when I started writing that. So they weren't. ;)

But since I do have to admit, since I do absolutely torture Daniel, this is the start of a new line. He's fighting back.

And it's awesome.

Don't own First Class, only Daniel, Katie, Caroline, and Miranda. I wish I owned First Class. This is what we would have gotten, even though the movie was amazing without what I decided to add in. ;) Enjoy, and please review. If we could get to 200 before Chapter 30, I would be thrilled beyond belief.

Minor language in this one, but nothing worse than you'll hear in a high school hallway. Oh, and minor torture. But that's just what everyone's come to expect when it comes to Daniel's parts.

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 25<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

* * *

><p><em>Westchester, New York<br>1962_

"Okay, I know I was all for dropping Sean out a window, but this might be going too far."

Three weeks after training had begun, the group of six stood on top of the satellite, looking down at the ground below. Sean was dressed in his wings, which Hank had just stopped adjusting. Charles stood looking at the ground far down below. Katie, who had spoken the words she knew were on everyone's minds, stood next to Sean, watching him sympathetically. Miranda and Erik stood behind the rest, with Miranda watching the proceedings with a slight wince.

"Katie and I actually agree on this!" Sean cheered, staring at Katie as if he couldn't believe what at just occurred. At the same time, it was clear that he was desperate for any excuse to get off the satellite and back onto solid ground. "It's a miracle! Let's go back and celebrate and not drop me off the satellite to my death!"

"You're not going to die," Charles told him, shaking his head as he struggled to remember if he had been that melodramatic as a teenager.

Sean shook his head. "This is a bad idea."

"You can do this, Sean," Charles encouraged. He shot a look at Miranda and Erik, clearly expecting them to try and encourage the redheaded Bostonian as well.

Miranda sighed and took a step forward. Squeezing Sean's arm, she shot him an encouraging smile and said, "Hey, you've been doing great the past two weeks. This is one last step. You can do this; you just have to stay calm."

Sean bit his lip before looking at Charles. "And you truly believe I'll fly this time?" he asked

"Unreservedly," Charles replied.

Sean ran a hand through his thick red mop of hair before looking back to Charles. "I trust you," he said, looking back at the ground.

Charles smiled. "I'm touched."

Sean proceeded to point directly at Hank. "I don't trust him."

Hank looked taken aback as he opened his mouth. Charles held a hand up and ordered, "Say nothing." Hank remained silent, but scowled silently at Sean.

Sean groaned before gesturing wildly at the ground. "I'm gonna die!" he exclaimed, clearly reaching a point where he was beyond desperate to get off of the satellite.

Charles sighed, a bit disappointed, but patted Sean's arm and said, "Look, we're not going to make you do anything you don't feel-"

Erik rolled his eyes before taking a step forward. "Here, let me help." With those final words, Erik pushed Sean off the platform and into the open air. Sean let out a startled yell as he began to fall.

"Erik!" Charles protested, grabbing Katie as she girl dove forward and nearly fell herself.

Miranda dove forward as well, trying to keep Sean in her line of sight. The five watched as Sean let out a high-pitched scream, visible sound waves hitting the ground and sending the red head flying through the air. A moment later, an ecstatic whoop came from the general direction as Sean shot up, high above the satellite, before diving back down, passing the platform where he had been moments before.

As Sean's ecstatic whoops and laughter hit all of them, Charles let go of Katie, who was just watching the redhead and shaking her head in absolute disbelief.

Miranda and Charles both shot Erik a look, and the metal-controlling mutant only smirked. "You both were thinking the same thing," he said, smirking as Miranda scowled, signaling that he was completely correct. He nodded forward. "And it worked out for the better."

"You know we're never going to get him down now, right?" Hank asked, watching as Sean proceeded to do some form of spin in the air.

Katie snorted. "Wait until he's hungry enough. That'll get him down here." She looked down and shuddered. "Now we get to climb all the way down here."

Erik smirked before gesturing forward, looking at both Miranda and Katie. "Ladies first," he reminded them, laughing at the look on Miranda's face.

The brunette scowled before hitting him on the shoulder. "Shut up, Lensherr," she ordered as she began to climb her way down. Katie did so directly behind her, shooting one last smile at the flying redhead.

As soon as his partner was too far down to hit him again, Erik called down, "Make me, Hanson."

Miranda's retort was lost in the sounds of Sean's hysterical cheers and Erik's snickers.

* * *

><p>As they stood in the woods, Erik shot a quick glance over the obstacle course that he and Moira had set up for Caroline. It had a lot of larges trees in the way of a straight path, with Charles and Miranda on the far end, timing Caroline to see how long it would take her to run straight through everything. Once she reached the far side, she was to tag Miranda, who would stop the watches.<p>

"Alright, this is a straight shot," Erik told her, nodding down at the smaller brunette. "You just need to phase through it all. You've been improving since you started-"

"The fact that I have less bruises proves that," Caroline put in, not moving her eyes away from the obstacle course.

"Exactly," Moira replied. She shot an encouraging grin towards Caroline, and then gestured forward. "Whenever you're ready, go ahead. Remember. Phase the whole way except the open spots."

Caroline took a deep breath before closing her eyes. A moment later, she disappeared, and the sound of cracking twigs and ripping leaves filled the air as she ran through the forest. Erik and Moira watched the path carefully for any sign that she was going to appear. A moment later, in a small stretch without obstacles, Caroline reappeared, still running, a grin on her face. A moment later, she disappeared just in front of a fallen tree.

Erik strained to see ahead; Miranda and Charles were standing far enough away that they were just two slightly moving heads of brown hair. Erik watched for over a minute, and finally grinned as a gasping Caroline appeared, right next to Miranda and Charles.

"She did it," he confirmed, nodding, unable to stop the small half-smile that came over his face.

Moira laughed. "Nicely done," she said, holding out a hand to the mutant.

He hesitated for a second before taking it and giving it a firm shake. Moira couldn't help but smile.

* * *

><p>Back in the bunker, Alex frowned as he realized that Charles had only put one manikin in the room. As the blond mutant stood in his normal spot, Charles grabbed Miranda and put her on the right of the manikin. A moment later, he grabbed Caroline and put her on the left. All while Charles had readjusted the girls' positions, Hank had been taping on a black X to the middle of the manikin's stomach.<p>

"Good job, Hank," he praised. Charles headed back towards the door, Hank following him. Alex glanced back at the girls, frowning when he realized they weren't moving. He glanced back at Charles as he said, "Alex, I want you to hit the X… and not Miranda or Caroline."

Alex froze, and then shot startled look towards the two brunettes. "No way," he refused, shaking his head firmly. He turned back to stare at Charles and Hank in horror before whirling to stare at the girls. "No way, I'm not risking this. Not gonna happen."

Charles sighed before turning his attention to the two brunettes. "Miranda, Caroline, do you trust Alex not to hit you?" he called over, raising an eyebrow as Alex paused, turning his attention back over to the two.

"Absolutely," Miranda replied, her reply instant and confident. "You can do this, Alex."

Caroline nodded firmly before shooting a calm look towards the slightly older teen. "I trust you, Alex," she murmured, nodding at him encouragingly. "Go ahead."

Looking torn, Alex swallowed before giving a brisk nod. Charles and Hank both backed away, but did not close the door, instead remaining in the room with the group. While Hank looked to be as nervous as Alex, Charles appeared to be nothing but confident in Alex's abilities.

Well aware of what the three of them were risking – least of all Caroline and Miranda's lives – Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he unleashed his devastating power, released as ruby beams of pure energy. Alex remained firm where he was standing as the energy beam shot straight and true, hitting the X on the center manikin.

Both Miranda and Caroline had remained as the beam had flown towards the center manikin. But as the target burst into flames, both staggered away from the flaming manikin. Alex let out a victorious laugh, and Caroline immediately broke out into a run, reaching Alex in a matter of moments.

Alex's arms were open by the time she reached it, and Miranda walked forward, chuckling to herself when she heard the hysterical, relieved laughter of both people. She also smiled as she saw how tightly Alex was hugging Caroline, wondering how long it would take for the two to remember there were three other people present.

It only seemed to take a few seconds, as he sat her down after spinning her through the air. But those seconds were long enough to Alex to kiss Caroline, quick and hard, before putting her down, still grinning at her. Caroline looked dazed and almost delirious with glee. Alex merely took her hand and pulled her towards the metal doors, where a smirking Miranda and Charles waited, along with a patient Hank.

"Am I still a bozo? Hank asked casually, raising an eyebrow after watching the scene. Alex and Caroline paused as they exited the bunker, Alex turning his gaze onto Hank.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Yes, Hank, you're still a bozo." He paused as he glanced back at the burning manikin. A genuine smile came over his face as he looked back over at Hank. "But nice job."

Hank didn't stop smiling for the rest of the night.

* * *

><p>"Katie, you understand what you're supposed to do?"<p>

As Katie stood on the far edge of the fountain, she glanced over towards Erik. The taller, older mutant was a few yards away, watching her carefully. She nodded before calling over, "Yep." She glanced over towards Sean, who stood on the other side of the fountain. "You both sure?" she asked.

Sean looked like he was going to reply no for a second, but a glare from Erik shut him up. "I'm sure," he grumbled, wincing as he prepared himself for what was to come.

"Do it," ordered Erik.

Katie nodded and then took a step into the fountain. Her bare feet rested in the water for a few seconds before she closed her eyes. The water immediately began to swirl before separating on either side, leaving a strip long and clear enough for Katie to walk the entire way around the fountain.

Moving slowly and deliberately, Katie crossed through the empty space, with water mere inches to both of her sides. Erik and Sean watched intently, waiting for when she reached the other side of the fountain. For a few moments, Sean wondered why he had agreed to this.

It was then that he remembered that above all, he did want Katie, who was one of the best friends he had ever had, to succeed in this. She had supported him in his training sessions despite all the teasing they had exchanged, and if Katie needed him to be helping out with this, then he was going to be there every step of the way from her. Not just because he might feel something stronger than friendship, but because he owed Katie that at the very least.

Of course, the fact that Erik scared Sean shitless didn't help, either.

It was in that moment that Katie reached the far side of the fountain, jumping onto the ledge. She looked to Sean and Erik before sighing. Closing her eyes, she flicked her hands towards Erik and Sean separately, praying that what she was trying was going to work.

The water in the fountain erupted, with the first half flying towards Erik and the second flying towards Sean. Though Erik gave out no cry of alarm, Sean let out a yelp before the water hit them both, knocking them to the ground. Katie's eyes shot open, and she looked down at the fountain, grinning when she realized there was not one drop left in the fountain.

It was in that moment that she remembered what she had one to the water. She looked to Sean first, who was soaking wet. He shot her a look, and then shook his head. "The things I do for you," he muttered, his words contrasting sharply with the smile on his face.

Katie smiled before turning expectantly to Erik, her eyebrow raised as she watched the Nazi hunter stand up again, looking down at his soaking wet clothes before turning his attention back to Katie. He glanced over at Sean before looking into the fountain, seeing as Katie had that there was no water left in it.

"Not bad," he grudgingly admitted, chuckling as Katie beamed at the praise. "Not bad at all."

* * *

><p>That night, with the moonlight shining through the curtains, Miranda readjusted her position in bed. "I think the kids are doing great," she murmured, Erik's arm around her as she traced circles on his chest.<p>

Erik merely chuckled, watching her carefully. "They're doing better than I expected them to," he admitted. He bit his lip. "But I'm still not sure if they're ready."

"We're going to run out of time, Erik," Miranda murmured. She sat up in bed, running a hand through her loose brown curls as Erik watched her, frowning curiously. "Either Shaw will make his move and we'll be forced to react, or he'll find us and we'll be forced to react."

Erik bit his lip, knowing that she was right. "Maybe."

Miranda paused before rolling her eyes. "God, your pessimistic attitude is rubbing off on me," she muttered, lying back down next to him.

"Shut up, Hanson."

"Make me, Lensherr." She paused before adding, "But no matter how much time you and I have left… I'm going to enjoy it." Miranda gave a smirk before kissing him quickly, pulling out a few seconds later. "Besides, between training the kids, there hasn't been a lot of you and me time. And we still need to figure out what we're going to do."

"What do you think?" Erik asked, watching her as she fell silent. She remained silent for a few minutes, leaving Erik to his thoughts as he reflected on how he regarded their relationship.

Erik's relationship with Miranda was uncharted territory with him. He'd never been in love before. His whole life had been about survival, and now, with a chance for an actual relationship that had a chance of working out, Erik was in unfamiliar waters. And that honestly made him a bit nervous. He didn't want to screw this up, but at the same time, he wanted nothing but the best for the woman in front of him.

Even if they hadn't gone to the next level with their relationship, Erik knew that there were very few things he wouldn't do for Miranda. He had sworn to her that he would come for her no matter what might happen, and that was a promise that he had every intention of keeping. If that promise just happened to give him an excuse to stick around in her life, than he was going to take it.

But at the same time, he knew they both had scars. He knew that, on some level, no matter how much she might deny it, Miranda felt as though she were betraying David by even considering having a relationship with Erik. Logically, Miranda knew that she couldn't spend the rest of her life as David's widow. Miranda deserved to have someone to love her, and if Erik could do that, he would.

But mentally, Miranda still loved David. She probably always would. Erik knew that someday, whether their relationship was ready for it or not at the time, they'd end up with a kid. The more he thought of the idea of being a father, the more nervous it made him. At the same time, however, Erik was more than glad that he didn't have to deal with that thought right now. At the moment, both he and Miranda were far from ready to be parents.

But despite that, Erik knew that, if Miranda ever did become a mother, she would always wonder about Colin.

In many ways, Miranda's miscarriage had broken her more than David's death did. If the baby had survived and Miranda had given birth to Colin, Erik had no doubt that Miranda would not have gone after Shaw. She would have given up any hope of revenge, and would have put that side for Colin's sake.

Instead, she had lost everything, and had gained only the hope for revenge.

In a selfish way he would never admit to, Erik was glad for that. If she hadn't gone for revenge, he would have never have gotten the chance to have her in his life.

"Look," Miranda finally said, breaking out of her thoughts. "Right now, I'm going to enjoy whatever time I have with you. Who knows what's going to happen in the next five minutes, let alone the next few days. Whatever does happen, though, I'm not letting you go."

"Glad we're in agreement, then," Erik murmured, chuckling at the look of surprise that softened Miranda's features.

"Who knows?" Miranda asked, chuckling. She readjusted her position, grinning at Erik as she kept tracing circles on his arms. "Maybe after Shaw's dead, we'll keep going. And end up with a kid or two or something like that. I'd still love to be a mom someday." She smiled sadly, and Erik knew Colin was on her mind.

But there was another that came to his. "You know, any child of yours and mine would more than likely end up with one or even both of our powers," he told her. She shot him a surprised look, and Erik continued, "It's passed through genes and blood."

Miranda nodded, thinking back to a dinner conversation last week. "Like when the kids were wondering if their siblings might be mutant." She thought back a bit. "Well, Caroline has a younger brother… Alex has two younger brothers…"

"Katie has four older brothers and an older sister, and Sean has three older sisters," Erik added, thinking back to Boston when he, Charles, and Miranda had met with Sean and Katie's families. They had met a few of the many siblings, but not all of them.

"Who knows?" Miranda murmured. She stopped tracing circles and instead started playing with one of her curls. "Maybe one of their kids will be mutant. And maybe Alex's brothers will be; they're still really young, if I remember correctly." She finally paused, and then laughed. "You do realize we haven't even slept together yet and we're already talking kids?"

Erik rolled his eyes. "Of course we are. You enjoy planning five steps ahead."

"You're one to talk." Miranda paused. "And there's not just the fact that our kid would more than likely be a mutant. I don't even want to think about the personality of our child. It'd either go towards yours or mine, and if it ended up as a combination…"

"I pity whoever crosses him or her," Erik chuckled. He finally pulled her hand down, stifling back a yawn as he murmured, "We'll continue this discussion later. After I finally get some sleep for the first time in two weeks."

"What, you want sleep? We've been sharing a bed without complaint for two weeks, no wonder you don't get some sleep."

"Hanson?"

"What, Lensherr?"

"Shut up."

Miranda merely smirked. "Make me."

* * *

><p><em>Unknown Location<br>1962_

_A scream._

_Splashing waves._

_Screeching metal._

_The bang of a gun._

_Hot white pain._

_Rough sand._

_His name being screamed, with panic and fear and horror._

_Rushing water._

_Someone choking._

_A dull thud._

_The rumpled fabric of his shirt._

_Hot blood pouring from the bullet hole._

_His name, screamed, again._

_Callous hands against the wound, trying to stop the blood._

_Choked sobs._

_Blissful darkness._

_A voice._

"_Daniel, fight this!"_

It was a familiar voice, not from the vision, but one that Daniel could identify anywhere, one that he had heard his whole life until it had been taken away suddenly, in a death that had begun this whole chain of events that Daniel now found himself forced into.

Taking a chance, Daniel pushed out, out of the vision, out of the pain, and out of the influence of what Shaw was drugging him with. He pushed back, against Renegade, against his guilt, against the fear and despair that had been threatening to drown him since he had realized he wasn't going to get out of this alive.

For the first time, Daniel forced himself to fight, to push, to tell himself "I am going to get out of this alive."

The vision broke, the drug's influence broke, and Daniel returned to reality with a smirk on his face.

The few seconds he remained conscious, he could hear the frustration in Renegade's voice, the surprise in Shaw's, and even the smug scoffs of Azazel, who had stated earlier he expected the drugs to fail.

Daniel gave a bloody smile; he had broken out of the vision quickly, but not quickly enough to stop his body from acting as if it were in said vision. There was no blood on his body, but his mouth was slick with it, and despite that, Daniel grinned with everything he had.

"If you want to use me to get to Miranda," he slurred, his vision quickly fading away and his voice weak and growing softer. "You'll have to do better than that."

With those words, Daniel slipped back into blissful, black unconsciousness, a smile on his face the whole time.


	27. Chapter 26

**Author's Note:** Dear God, when was my last update? Oh, August? As in before this school year started? Oh, wonderful.

Yeah, I have absolutely no explanations for this little disappearance. I'm not dead. Not comatose. Not magically transported to Westeros, as much as I wish that would happen. If not Westeros, I'd take Thedas or even the _Firefly_ universe. But nope. Still here.

No excuses. Just writer's block, senior year school drama, and worst of all, the Second Crash of CSF's Jump Drive.

Three. Freaking. Chapters. Dead. Gone. AND THREE CHAPTERS OF THE SEQUEL…

_Technology, y u hates me?_ (My attitude for most of this year)…

I'm now backing up on four different computers. If this happens again, I'm so killing someone off in this. Probably Sean. Or Miranda. They were hard to write in this chapter for some reason. So yeah. If my story crashes again, someone will DIE.

Please forgive me, my loves. And remember: I will _never_ abandon this story. Even if it takes forever, I will write the next chapter. And since we're heading into the home stretch… well, fasten your seatbelts. Things are about to get nuts. Erik will be awesome, Charles will be the only sane man, Miranda will change some major things, Katie will have an awesome BAMF moment and Daniel…

Well, you'll all find out why Daniel is my favorite original character. Ever. Even more than Miranda.

I don't own First Class. Only my OCs. But please answer this: did anyone else have a nerdgasm when they heard Tyrion Lannister is going to be in Days of Future Past? Well, Peter Dinklage. But still. He's amazing.

Please review, loves, and enjoy as we begin the stretch to Cuba.

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><p><em>Chapter 26<em>

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><p><strong>Turning Tables<br>**Erik glared at her. "You haven't even heard my plan yet." "I don't need to. It involves boats and a sociopathic doctor. It won't end well." With a partner in his vendetta against Shaw, Erik Lensherr thought things would change. He was right. Erik/OC

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><p><em>Norfolk, Virginia<br>1957_

_The moment he walked into the house, he knew he wasn't alone._

_The intrusion didn't do more than make him pause for a second. His heart didn't start beating hard, his mind didn't go into overdrive, and his instincts did not tell him to run. Running away would do nothing right now. The best word to describe him in this instant was acceptance._

_He set the briefcase on the table in the kitchen, nodding calmly to the arrival. "Make yourself at home," he said, his tone oozing with sarcasm as he went over to the counter, pulling a mug out. "Don't… oh, I don't know… wait until I'm home to let yourself in or anything like that."_

"_Your wife wasn't home, either. What else was I supposed to do, wait outside until one of you came home?"_

_He stiffened instantly. His wife had nothing to do with this, and if this monster in front of him wanted to bring her into this, he was going to have to go through his dead body. But then again, he was sure that the monster would be more than happy to make that true._

_His soul be damned, his wife was not going to be harmed from this._

"_You're here to find out my choice?" he asked._

"_It should be obvious." He snorted, and the interloper continued, "You and I are better than them. You have a gift. You need to use it. Follow what your blood gave you; it's our destiny to do so."_

"_I don't believe that." He shot the monster in front of him a dark look. "We got out of a war just over ten years ago, and here you are, eager to start another one. How many more people have to die?"_

"_As many as it takes."_

"_No. That's too high a price." He snorted, brown eyes flashing with defiance. "You are just as crazy as I thought you were," he taunted, eyebrow raising in challenge at the man in front of you. "You know my choice. What are you going to do about it?"_

"_Honey, are you here?"_

_He froze. Oh God, she wasn't supposed to be here yet. She was supposed to be away from here. What was she doing home so early? His stomach dropped even further when he saw the look on his enemy's face. Rage buried itself in his gut a moment later._

_He whirled, glaring at him, rage in his voice and a threat in his eyes. _

"_Leave her out of this."_

_Those were the last words David Holloway ever spoke._

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><p><em>Westchester, New York<br>1962_

"You look like you're in a bad mood."

It was barely eight in the morning, and Katie just stared at a blue-skinned Raven as the exhausted blond entered the kitchen. Raven's smirk didn't leave; instead, it grew. Pushing Katie's buttons had become something of a running gag between them all. They had all adopted the tiny blond as their baby sister, so they all acted like her siblings.

Even though Sean and Alex had made it their personal mission to drive her crazy.

Katie gave a groan of annoyance as she whirled at Raven, eyes narrowed. "I am so _sick_ of this stupid house with the stupid trees everywhere, and Erik's stupid brooding, and you and Hank being stupidly adorable, and Alex and Caroline being stupid and pretending that they _didn't_ kiss and obviously aren't head over heels for each other, and stupid Moira being two doors down from me and snoring so loud, and feeling like civilization doesn't exist because we've been at this place for over a month!" she ranted, running a hand through her blond hair.

"And Sean for just being stupid?" Raven asked, giggling.

"Shut up." Katie groaned as she sat down across the breakfast table with Raven. "We haven't been outside this mansion for nearly a month. Shaw hasn't made a move for over a month."

"Makes you wonder what he's planning." Katie and Raven both turned to the doorway as Hank entered, shoeless and exhausted, carrying a plate of food. He sat next to Raven, scowling deeply.

"Nothing good," Raven murmured, looking thoughtful. She bit her lip as she mentioned, "Miranda's getting worried."

"About Daniel?" Katie asked, ignoring Hank's glare as she swiped an apple slice from the plate he had in front of him.

"Who else?" Raven bit her lip. "I'm just saying if Charles had been in the hands of a murderous psycho for a month? I'd be freaking out too. I'm surprised she hasn't bolted off to try and get him."

"I'm sure she's tried and Erik stopped her," Katie murmured, flashing back to the captured teenaged boy she remembered from over a month ago. She hesitated. "I wonder if Angel's alright."

"She made her choice," Raven reminded her, noticing Hank stiffen a bit out of the corner of her eye.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I can't still worry about her," Katie replied, her tone defensive as she crossed her arms against her chest. She bit her lip. "It's something Caroline and Alex argued about a few weeks ago. Caroline and Angel were close before… before you know. Both were from Baltimore."

"Did they know each other?" Hank asked, pulling his plate away as Raven attempted to steal some of his food.

"From around. They lived like a block from each other and worked less than a mile apart, so they did know each other by sight… but Caroline misses Baltimore." She shrugged. "I'm not going to lie. I miss Boston. I miss my brothers and my parents and sister. But I know I can't leave until it's done."

"You're thinking about leaving when it's over?" Raven was somewhat surprised. Katie had taken to her powers quite well, and was slowly becoming one of the most dangerous of them. But there hadn't been any indication that Katie was unhappy at the mansion.

Katie hesitated. "I don't know," she replied honestly. She looked at the two mutants, a solemnness both were unaccustomed to in her eyes. She squirmed a bit before adding, "I mean… I just don't know. I miss home so much but… everyone here is family now."

"Stay or leave, you're leaving a home behind," Hank summarized. He bit his lip before adding, "My mom raised me on her own. Dad died over in France, on the beaches of Normandy. I was a little kid." He gestured down to his feet. "This terrified her. But… she did her best."

"She didn't do too badly," Raven murmured. She shrugged. "My parents just wanted me out. I was a runaway… then Charles found me. I've been here ever since."

Katie smiled, in a way that was almost too dark for the excited, innocent Katie that had made her way to the Agent's base barely a month ago. "Any way you look at it, each one of us has a story." She looked out the window as she added, in a sadder tone, "None of them are that good."

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><p>"You can't do this."<p>

"Watch me."

"You have no idea where they are."

"I do, actually. They're in the middle of this storm."

The suitcase on the bed was half packed, and for a bizarre moment, Erik could remember himself planning to leave this all behind only a month ago. But now, things had changed, and it was a strangely frantic Miranda who was trying to make her escape.

But like Erik, she had one destination in mind: wherever Shaw was hiding now.

"He could be anywhere in the world, Miranda," Erik pointed out, struggling to remember how Miranda usually calmed him down.

It was around that moment that he had a new appreciation for what he had put her through over the years.

Miranda shook her head as she tossed her gun into her bag, shooting a look at Erik. "He'll be in the one place that the rest of the world is watching," Miranda replied, her tone calm and confident. "The rest of the world is watching the Soviet Union and the United States. And dammit, Erik, I am tired of leaving Daniel in this situation. I need to get him out."

She made a move to close her bag, but Erik stepped forward, placing himself between her and the bag. For a few moments, the two stared each other down. Out of the corner of his eye, Erik watched tiny blue sparks fall from Miranda's clenched fists. Her powers had grown considerably over the past few weeks, to the point where she was throwing lightning.

Erik had taken to that development with a combination of horror and pride.

But now, their positions had changed, and Erik was the one being forced to confront the reality that if he couldn't talk his partner down, she would most likely get herself killed.

There was no force on heaven or earth that would stop him from keeping that from happening to her.

As Miranda made a move to get around him, Erik grabbed her shoulders, holding her still as she glared up at him. "I know this is killing you," he replied, trying to appeal to the logical side of Miranda that he knew was still somewhere there. "But if you run off and get yourself in trouble, you aren't helping anyone. Not Daniel, not any of us."

Miranda didn't fight him, but her glare remained. "So I leave him in Shaw's hands? He could be _dead_, Erik."

"Exactly. And then you'll give yourself up for nothing. Everything that you have been through the last five years will have been for nothing. Daniel's pain will have been for nothing. Everything you have done for this group will have been for nothing."

For a second he hesitated, knowing that his next point would be like a bullet in her heart. He said it anyway. "_David's_ death will have been for nothing."

Miranda reacted pretty much as he thought she would at that accusation. She moved her arm as though she meant to slap him, but seemed to lose that urge a second later as her shoulders sagged. She bit her lip, green eyes strangely bright as she asked, in a flat tone, "I don't know what to do. I just don't know."

Erik hesitated. "Trust me," he told her, his voice lower as he kept his hand on her arm. "Trust everyone here that we're doing our best to find Shaw and Daniel."

Miranda laughed bitterly. "We don't know if he's alive."

"No, we don't," he admitted, fully aware that the possibility had crossed his mind several times. "But hoping that he's still alive is better than declaring him dead."

Miranda hesitated, and then nodded. "He'll make a move. Soon. Then what?"

Erik's eyes narrowed grimly as he gave his reply. It was an answer that both had known was coming for a long time. It was an answer that was in truth, the only response possible to what Shaw had done to the two of them and countless others over the years.

"Then we fight."

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><p>"So when are you and Caroline going to talk again?"<p>

In the underground bunker a few hours later, Alex stiffened slightly as he shot a warning glare at Sean. "She and I don't have anything to talk about," he replied. A scowl set itself on his face as he shot a blast of energy towards a target on the far side of the room.

Sean rolled his eyes as he watched, sitting cross-legged on the floor, currently on a break from his own training. "Of course it doesn't. Just like how Erik and Miranda didn't have anything to talk about."

Across the room and leaning against the wall, Miranda rolled her eyes. "As the local expert on unresolved sexual tension, trust me, it's better to admit it and get it out of the way before you both go crazy," she advised, smirking as Alex turned a very light shade of pink. "You're teenagers. It's normal."

"And Caroline's cute, so that makes it doubly normal," Sean piped up, smirking as Alex's scowl deepened. "So you kissed her. Should you be excited?"

"It's complicated," Alex replied shortly, trying his best to ignore Sean.

"So is life. Deal with it. Now go talk to her."

"When you talk to Katie."

"Considering the fact that there's absolutely no sexual tension between Katie and I, we're good. Go talk to Caroline."

"One word, Sean. _Denial_."

"That's rich, coming from you."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "It is something in mutant DNA that makes us so determined to swim in denial for as long as we possibly can?" she wondered aloud, making a mental note to ask Hank later. She ignored the glares of both teenage boys as she glanced up at the stairwell.

A breathless Moira came down the stairs. "The President about to make his address," she managed to get out, nodding back at the stairs. "You're going to want to see this."

Miranda sighed, knowing that this address could potentially give them all a clue to what was going to happen next. "I'll find Erik and Charles." She gestured over towards Alex and Sean. "You all head to the living room and I'll meet you there." She smiled briefly at Moira as she passed, and headed up the stairs.

A calm Sean turned to Alex, grinned, and then said, "Denial."

For a brief moment, Alex considered whether it would be worth it to kill the redhead now. "Shut up, Cassidy."

Sean smirked. "Make me, Summers."

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><p>It didn't take long to find the boys.<p>

She hesitated when she did find him, however. The looks on Erik and Charles's faces were serious and almost grim, and she knew that interrupting this conversation was the last thing she wanted to do. So for now, she settled for waiting and watching, letting her mind wander for at least a little bit.

Miranda leaned against the wall, watching the two with a pensive look on her face. Things were going down quickly. She had been restless over the past few weeks. She was terrified that Daniel was dead at this point.

For all they knew, Shaw had killed Daniel minutes after the teens had seen him during the attack on the CIA base. For all they knew, Daniel was in an unmarked grave anywhere in the world, or had been thrown into the ocean. None of them knew whether or not Daniel was still alive.

Part of Miranda hoped that he was still alive. The other was terrified at what Shaw might have been doing to him for over a month.

But all of her feared what sort of Daniel she would find.

Shaw had broken Erik as a boy. God knew what kind of man he would be today if he had never gotten his hands on Erik. But Erik had been young then, and innocent. Daniel was nearly twenty, had been jaded considerably by David's murder, and knew what kind of monster Shaw really was.

In that moment, Miranda realized that Daniel probably knew more about this whole situation than anyone else involved.

For now, she pushed those thoughts out of her head, and instead concentrated on Erik and Charles. And then, before her eyes, Miranda watched in amazement as the satellite Sean had jumped off of a week earlier moved towards them, guided by her own partner.

Pride exploded in her, and she couldn't stop the grin. Peals of Erik and Charles' laughter rang over for her, and she shook her head as she realized she was going to have to break up this moment. But for a moment, she let herself be so proud of Erik, and thrilled that he had let others in after years of hiding behind walls.

"Hey, boys!" Miranda called over. Both turned their attention to her, and for a moment, Miranda could have sworn she saw tears in Erik's eyes. She dismissed it as a trick of the light a moment later, and then continued, "Kennedy's about to make his address. Are you coming?"

"Absolutely," Charles replied, shooting her a cheerful grin. He patted Erik's arm as he walked back to the house. The hunter was only a few feet behind him, and they had reached Miranda's position in a few moments.

As Erik did reach her side, Miranda glanced at him and hesitated for a few seconds. "You okay?" she asked, cocking her head as she watched Erik carefully.

He nodded, looking calmer than she had ever seen him before. "Fine," he replied, and then added, with a half-smile, "Maybe even more than fine." He watched her for a moment, and then took her hand as they entered through the door.

For now, she let go her questions and just held his hand.

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><p>Everyone was tense.<p>

There was not one mutant present who had not realized that there was probably a very good reason that Shaw hadn't made a move for a month. There was not one person present who hadn't realized yet that they were outnumbered, probably severely outmatched, and incredibly out resourced.

Alex had realized weeks ago that Angel had probably told Shaw everything about them; powers, backgrounds, and most importantly, weaknesses. They knew next to nothing about the mutants fighting for Shaw. After Darwin's death, Alex had thought things couldn't get worse. And then he realized how much of a fight this was going to be.

Erik had realized that some of the people in this room might not make it out of this fight alive. As strong as the group had become after months of training, they were still young. Despite the immeasurable bounds that she had taken, Katie was barely sixteen years old. Caroline had gained so much control, but could still get flustered and mess up. Hank was still hiding half of who he was, while Raven's search for a balance was proving to be a flop. Sean and Alex were _Sean and Alex_, which meant their creativity was as much a weakness as it was a strength.

Moira wasn't even a mutant. Erik knew that she wasn't the weakest link here, but she could be a liability if the battle ended up getting her involved. Charles and Miranda could handle themselves, but there was no way he was not going to look after them in this.

With a jolt, Erik realized he was _worried_ about the people surrounding him.

He pushed the thoughts back, mentally blaming Charles and Miranda's influence, before turning back to the address. Miranda stood next to him, with Moira and Charles sharing the coach in front of the television. Alex stood nearest Miranda, with Raven, Hank, Katie, and Sean in a row next to him. A tired-looking Caroline stood on the far side of the room. The fact that no one was speaking was testament enough that they realized how serious this was.

Even Kennedy seemed to be exhausted. "It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile crossing the embargo line that surrounds Cuba as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union…" the President stated, his voice a mix of solemnity and finality.

With a shake of his head, Erik turned down the volume. A second later, he turned his gaze to Charles and Moira as they sat on the coach. "That's where we're going to find Shaw," he said, his voice firm and confident.

"How do you know?" Alex asked, glancing at the older mutant.

"Two superpowers facing off and he wants to start World War III." Charles shook his head as he murmured, "He won't leave anything to chance."

"You know he has a plan for this," Miranda murmured. She ran a hand through her dark brown hair as Caroline swallowed nervously. "And a damned good one. He'll have all his bases covered in this."

"So it's up to us to stop him," Caroline summarized. She and Alex were on opposite sides of the room, and it was clear that whatever had happened to the two of them to get them like this still remained.

"So much for diplomacy," Erik commented dryly, shooting an almost smug look at Charles. He turned his attention to the nervous-looking younger mutants next. "I suggest you all get a good night's sleep." With those final words, he walked out.

Katie snorted darkly as she muttered, after Erik had left, "Yes. _Sleep_. That's so going to be possible with a nuclear war hanging over our heads, not to mention a psychopathic murderer who is playing two superpowers like they're _puppets_." She looked at Hank as she added, "Do you have anything that can knock someone out for a few hours?"

"I'm not drugging you, Katie."

Katie frowned. "You're no fun." With those words, she left the room without another word.

Sean glanced at the others as he added, "Katie talks a lot. That's obvious." He hesitated, and looked almost older as he added, "But when she rambles like that… that's when you know she's really scared." The redhead left the room, clearly following after the younger blond.

Hank bit his lip before looking at the other three adults. "There are a few things I want to run through with you before we're ready," he admitted, nodding towards the door. "We should do it now."

"Lead the way," Moira replied. She followed Hank out of the room, Charles and Miranda not far behind them.

For a few awkward seconds, Caroline, Raven, and Alex remained in the room, completely silent. Raven watched Alex and Caroline in turn, an eyebrow raised as she waited for one of the two to break the silence.

Honestly, she thought this argument of theirs was absolutely stupid. Raven also knew that Caroline and Alex were smart people, and would hopefully be able to figure out their relationship on her own. If it came down to it, she had no qualms about playing mediator.

But she honestly hoped they would work it out on their own. It was more fun that way.

Caroline bit her lip before shaking her head. "I'm going to bed," she said shortly. She walked out without another word, and without a glance towards Alex.

The shapeshifter cursed mentally, scowling slightly before another plan formulated in her mind.

"You know, if this ends up going bad…" Raven murmured, looking back over at Alex as she turned her gaze from where Caroline had exited. Alex stiffened slightly as Raven continued, "If this goes bad and something happens to her or you, are you going to regret not figuring out what's going on between you?"

Silence was the only answer she received.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Please review, loves. Hope you enjoyed. :)


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